^^  a  A 


LIBRARY 


l»Rlx\t  CTO^,  \.  .1. 


JHiNATllIN   \IV 


L-lter 


No. 


S  A  M  I    K  I .    A  (ji  N  K  \N' , 

^     /  .  >•!      I' II  1  I.  *  U  K  I.  !•  II  I  A.    HA  . 

O    /    ^   J 


Mi) 


CasCy 
Slnlf. 
BooK\ 


Di'vfsion. 

Sectic.-  _ 
No.... 


....... 


\/^  3 


AN 


EXPOSITION 

OF    THE 

HISTORICAL  WRITINGS 

OF    THE 

NEW    TESTAMENT, 

WITH  REFLECTIONS  SUBJOINED  TO  EACH  SECTION, 


BY  THE   LATE 


REV.   TIMOTHY  KENRICK. 


MEMOIR  OF  THE  AUTHOR. 


FROM  THE  SECOND  LONDON  OCTAVO  EDITION. 


IN  THREE   VOLUMES. 


VOIi.  III. 

THE    ACTS    OF   THE   APOSTLES.   AND    CHRONOLOGICAL    TABLE',   &C. 


BOSTON : 
MUNROE  AND  FRANCIS,  123  WASHINGTON-STREET, 

CORNER  OF    WATER-STREET. 

CHARLES  S.  FRANCIS,  252  BROADWAY, 

OPPOSITE    THE   PARK,    NKW-VORK. 

1828. 


INTRODUCTION. 


The  book  of  Scripture  on  which  we  are  about  to  enter,  is  called 
*  The  Acts  of  the  Apostles;'  a  title,  however,  which  was  not, 
probably,  given  to  it  by  the  author ;  for  it  does  not  exactly  corres- 
pond with  the  design  of  the  work,  which  appears  to  have  been,  not 
to  write  a  history  of  the  transactions  of  every  one  of  the  apostles, 
but  to  give  a  general  account  of  the  first  planting  of  the  Christian 
religion  in  the  world,  and  to  enter  no  further  into  the  miracles, 
discourses,  and  travels  of  any  of  the  apostles  than  was  necessary 
for  this  purpose.  They  are  the  transactions  of  Peter  and  Paul, 
principally,  which  he  has  selected  with  this  design.  Very  little  is 
said  about  any  of  the  other  apostles,  although,  no  doubt,  they  were 
all  alike  active  in  this  great  work. 

This  book  is  professedly  written  as  a  continuation  of  the  gospel 
of  Luke,  as  is  manifest  from  the  introduction,  and,  there  is  every 
reason  to  suppose,  by  the  same  author  ;  being  composed  in  the 
Greek  language,  in  the  same  elegant  style  as  that  gospel,  and 
having  been  universally  attributed  to  that  evangelist.  Luke,  it  is 
generally  allowed,  was  a  physician,  and  may  therefore  be  supposed 
to  have  had  the  benefit  of  some  education.  In  this  respect  he  had 
an  advantage  over  the  other  evangelists,  who  were  men  of  ordinary 
occupations,  and  wrote  in  language  which  corresponded  with  their 
situation  in  life.  It  has  the  same  internal  marks  of  being  an  au- 
thentic history  which  are  to  be  found  in  the  gospels.  We  observe 
in  it  the  same  simple  and  artless  relation  of  facts,  without  any 
comments  from  the  author  to  recommend  them  ;  the  same  minute 
detail  of  particulars  in  regard  to  time  and  place;  the  same  unre- 
served disclosure  of  errors  and  failings  in  Christians  and  Christian 
teachers.  Events  of  a  public  nature,  recorded  or  referred  to  in 
this  work,  are  found  to  correspond  with  the  accounts  left  us  of 
those  times  by  Jewish  and  heathen  historians :  a  circumstance 
that  must  give  them  credibility   in   the   estimation   of  those  who 


IV  INTKODUCTION. 

may  doubt  the  character  of  the  author,  and  which  greatly  confirms 
the  faith  of  the  believer.  But  the  strongest  evidence  of  the  truth 
and  genuineness  of  this  history  is  derived  from  the  regard  that  was 
paid  to  it  by  the  first  Christians,  wlio  were  themselves  witnesses  of 
the  transactions  which  it  relates,  and  therefore  proper  judges  of  the 
degree  of  credit  to  which  it  was  entitled.  Their  opinion  upon  this 
subject  must  decide  ours.  By  them  it  is  referred  to  as  an  authen- 
tic record,  in  those  few  remains  of  their  writings  which  are  come 
down  to  our  time;  nor  do  they  give  us  the  smallest  intimation 
that  its  authority  was  ever  questioned  or  disputed.  Quotations 
are  made  from  it  on  this  ground  in  Clement  of  Rome,  in  Ignatius, 
and  Polycarp ;  men  who  were  contemporary  with  the  apostles,  and 
have  been,  therefore,  called  Apostolic  Fathers.  It  is  found  in  all 
the  early  catalogues  of  sacred  books,  and  it  was  publicly  read  in 
the  churches  of  Christians,  along  with  the  gospels.  Stronger  evi- 
dence than  this  of  the  authenticity  of  a  book  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment it  is  not  possible  to  give. 

Composers  of  books  did  not  formerly  annex  dates  to  their  writ- 
ings, as  it  has  been  usual  to  do  in  modern  times.  We  cannot, 
therefore,  exactly  ascertain  at  what  time  this  book  was  written. 
But  it  could  not  be  before  the  close  of  Paul's  first  imprisonment  at 
Rome,  which  happened  in  the  year  sixty-three ;  for  to  that  event 
the  history  is  brought  down ;  it  is  not,  however,  probable  that  it 
was  much  later  than  that  period.  Mill  and  Lardner  conclude, 
after  the  most  careful  consideration  of  the  subject,  that  it  was 
written  and  published,  together  with  Luke's  gospel,  in  the  year 
sixty-four  of  the  Christian  a;ra,  which  is  reckoned  from  the  birth  of 
Christ,  or  a  little  more  than  thirty  years  after  his  ascension  ;  that 
is,  at  a  time  when  great  numbers  were  living  who  had  been  wit- 
nesses of  the  transactions  here  related,  and  while  they  were  fresh 
in  their  memories,  and  when,  therefore,  a  false  account  could  not 
fail  to  be  detected  and  exposed. 

"This  history  contains  an  account  of  the  choice  of  Matthias  to 
be  apostle  in  the  room  of  the  traitor,  of  the  wonderful  and  plentiful 
pouring  out  of  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit  upon  the  apostles  and 
other  disciples  of  Jesus  at  Jerusalem,  at  the  Pentecost  next  suc- 
ceeding his  crucifixion,  and  of  the  testimony  borne  by  the  apostles 
to  his  resurrection  and  ascension,  in  their  discourses,  and  by  many 
miracles,  and  various  sufferings;  their  preaching  first  at  Jerusalem, 
and  in  Judaea,  and  afterwards,  by  themselves  or  their  assistants,  in 


INTRODUCTION. 


Samaria :  and  then  to  Gentiles  in  Judasa,  and  afterwards  out  of  it, 
as  well  as  to  Jews  :  and  of  the  conversion  of  Paul,  and  his  preach- 
ing, miracles,  labours,  sufferings,  in  many  cities  and  countries, 
parts  of  the  Roman  empire,  and  the  polite  world,  and  at  length  in 
Rome  itself"  * 

In  the  first  nine  chapters  we  have  an  account  of  the  preaching 
of  the  gospel  to  the  Jews,  and  of  the  reception  which  it  met  with 
from  that  people.  In  the  remaining  part  of  the  book  we  have  the 
history  of  the  publication  of  it  to  Gentiles,  first  in  Judaea  and 
afterwards  beyond  the  limits  of  that  country.  In  the  sixteenth 
chapter  the  writer  joins  his  name  with  that  of  Paul,  saying,  "  im- 
mediately after  he  had  seen  the  vision,  we  endeavoured  to  go  into 
Macedonia."  So  that  it  appears  that  of  all  the  subsequent  transac- 
tions he  was  himself  an  eye-witness.  The  former  part  of  the  vol- 
ume he  had  partly  from  his  own  knowledge,  and  partly  from  the 
information  of  others,  who  had  the  best  opportunities  of  making 
themselves  acquainted  with  what  he  relates. 

The  first  thirty  years  after  the  resurrection  and  ascension  of 
Jesus,  was  a  very  active  period,  in  which  much  work  was  done  in 
propagating  the  Christian  religion,  the  bare  recital  of  which  would 
probably  fill  many  volumes,  and  which  only  a  few  men  of  leisure 
would  be  able  to  read.  Luke,  therefore,  writing  for  the  instruc- 
tion of  men  in  every  situation  in  life,  has  very  wisely  confined  him- 
self to  a  brief  account  of  some  of  the  principal  transactions,  which 
might  be  read  by  all.  In  consequence  of  pursuing  this  design,  he 
has  omitted  many  things  about  which  we  are  very  desirous  to  be 
informed. 

It  is  the  natural  remark  of  an  ancient  Christian  writer  and  ora- 
tor, (Chrysostom,)  that  Luke  leaves  us  thirsting  for  more  ;  but  he 
very  properly  adds,  had  he  written  more  it  could  only  be  a  repeti- 
tion of  the  same  difficulties  and  dangers  which  he  had  recounted 
before,  of  imprisonments,  tortures,  tumults,  and  deaths.  On  ac- 
count of  this  studied  brevity,  and  the  abrupt  manner  in  which  he 
breaks  off  the  history  of  individuals  in  several  instances,  it  has 
been  concluded  by  some  that  the  author  meant  to  write  another 
volume,  in  which  he  might  continue  and  complete  the  history 
which  he  had  left  defective  in  this.  But  however  desirable  such  a 
continuation  may  seem  to  us,  it  does  not  appear  that  he  had  any 
such  design.  The  truth  is,  that  his  object  being  not  to  aggrandize 
*  Lardner,  Vol.  VI.  p.  14C, 


VI  INTRODUCTION. 

individuals,  by  entering  into  a  minute  account  of  their  actions, 
whether  Peter,  Barnabus,  or  Paul,  *  but  to  give  us  an  idea  of  the 
first  planting  of  the  Christian  religion,  as  soon  as  he  had  said  as 
much  as  was  necessary  for  this  purpose,  he  breaks  off  his  history. 
Thus  he  drops  Paul  himself,  upon  his  confinement  at  Rome, 
although  it  appears  that  he  was  with  him  long  afterwards,  and 
might  have  continued  his  history  much  further,  had  he  been  so 
pleased,  or  had  he  conceived  that  such  a  work  would  be  useful. 
There  is  no  reason,  therefore,  to  conclude,  from  such  circumstan- 
ces, that  the  present  is  an  imperfect  or  incomplete  work. 

Of  the  importance  and  value  of  this  history  it  would  not  be  easy 
to  say  too  much.  For  it  contains  an  account  of  the  doctrine 
which  was  taught  by  the  apostles  and  first  preachers  of  Christian- 
ity, the  reasonings  and  arguments  employed  to  recommend  it,  the 
evidence  with  which  it  was  attended,  their  sufferings  in  support  of 
the  truth,  and  the  success  which  attended  their  labours ;  particu- 
lars, concerning  all  of  which  Christians  must  desire  to  be  well 
informed  ;  as  they  must,  likewise,  of  the  reasonings  and  objec- 
tions of  unbelievers,  of  which  it  contains  a  like  faithful  account. 

This  history  is  the  best  introduction  to  the  epistles,  and  the  sur- 
est proof  of  their  authenticity.  From  the  correspondence  between 
the  facts  mentioned  in  it  with  those  which  are  mentioned  or  alluded 
to  in  the  epistles  of  Paul,  a  learned  clergyman  of  the  church  of 
England,  (Dr.  Paley,)  has  deduced  a  clear  and  satisfactory  argu- 
ment to  prove  the  authenticity  of  these  epistles,  and  the  truth  of 
the  history,  and,  by  consequence,  the  truth  of  Christianity  itself. 

For  the  principal  events  in  the  life  of  Christ  we  have  the  evi- 
dence of  three  independent  witnesses,  or  witnesses  who  wrote  with- 
out any  communication  with  each  other ;  in  which  case  their 
united  testimony  is  of  much  more  weight  than  that  of  any  single 
individual.  By  this  means,  however,  the  value  of  a  particular  his- 
tory is  lessened  ;  for  were  it  mutilated  or  lost,  its  place  would  be 
supplied  by  the  others.  But  the  present  history  is  rendered  pecu- 
liarly interesting,  by  being  the  only  one  of  its  kind  :  for  no  other 
person  has  given  us  an  authentic  account  of  the  same  period;  so 
that  if  any  misfortune  had  befallen  this,  the  loss  would  have  been 
irreparable.  On  all  these  accounts  it  claims  from  us  the  most 
careful  attention. 

*  Lardiier,  Vol.  VI.  p.  H7. 


AN 


EXPOSITION, 


SECTION  I. 

The  ascension  of  Jesus. 

Acts  i.  1 — 14. 


1.  The  former  treatise  have  I  made,  O  Theophilus, 
of  all  that  Jesus  began  both  to  do  and  teach,  ^^  of  all 
that  he  both  did  and  taught.''^ 

This  introduction  shows  that  this  book  is  only  a  continuation  of  a 
former  work,  and  that  they  ought  both  to  be  read  together  ;  for  the 
writer  completes  his  design  in  the  one,  which  he  had  left  unfinished 
in  the  other.  Who  Theophilus  was,  to  whom  this  book,  as  well 
as  the  gospel,  is  addressed,  is  not  certainly  known.  Some  have 
supposed  the  name  to  be  fictitious,  and  to  stand  for  any  Christian. 
If  it  stand  for  a  real  personage  he  was  some  one  of  rank,  a  gover- 
nor, a  senator,  or  a  person  in  similar  situation;  for  the  same 
terms  of  respect  are  applied  to  him  in  the  gospel  as  Paul  applies  to 
Festus,  the  Roman  governor.*  If  these  two  books  were  first  pub- 
lished in  Greece,  as  has  been  supposed  by  some,  he  was  probably 
a  resident  in  that  country. 

2.  Until  the  day  in  which  he  was  taken  up,   after 

he  had  given  his  commands  unto  the   apostles  whom 

he  had  chosen  by  the  Holy  Spirit ; 

In  this  order  the  words  may  be  translated  by  a  slight  change  of 
punctuation,!  and  in  this  form  they  appear  most  natural ;  accord- 
ing to  it  Jesus  is  said  to  have  chosen  his  apostles  by  the  direction 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  a  thing  probable  in  itself,  and  corresponding 
with  what  was  done  in  another  instance,  Acts  xiii.  "2,  where  we  are 
told  that  the  Spirit  said,  "  Separate  me  Paul  and  Barnabas  to  the 

•  See  Michaelis's  Introduction,  Vol.  III.  p.  236.  &c.         f  See  Griesbach. 


8  ACTS.  (i.  1—14. 

work  to  which  I  have  called  tiiem."  The  commands  here  referred 
to  are  those  which  he  gave  his  apostles  at  his  departure,  directing 
them  to  stay  at  Jerusalem  till  they  received  the  gifts  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  and  afterwards  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the  whole  world. 

3.  To  whom  also  he  showed  himself  alive,  after  his 
passion,  ''after  he  had  suffered  death,''''  by  many  infal- 
lible proofs  ;  being  seen  of  them  forty  days,  and  speak- 
ing of  the  things  pertaining  to  the  kingdom  of  God. 

The  many  proofs  which  he  gave  to  his  disciples  of  his  being 
alive,  have  been  already  noticed ;  such  as  their  seeing  him  again, 
eating  and  conversing  with  him,  and  handling  his  person.  These 
proofs  he  continued  to  afford  them,  at  different  times,  for  forty 
days,  during  which  time  they  would  recover  from  the  surprise  into 
which  they  might  be  thrown  by  an  unexpected  event,  and  might 
ask  him  for  such  further  satisfaction  as  would  remove  all  their 
doubts.  What  ho  said  to  them  about  the  kingdom  of  God,  or  the 
gospel  dispensation,  we  are  not  informed  in  the  short  accounts 
given  by  the  evangelists,  and  it  would  be  of  no  use  to  conjecture. 
It  appears,  from  what  is  said  below,  that  their  opinions  upon  this 
subject  were  still  very  gross  and  low. 

4.  And,  being  assembled  together  with  them,  ''hav- 
ing assembled  them  together,''''  he  commanded  them 
that  they  should  not  depart  from  Jerusalem,  but  wait 
for  the  promise  of  the  Father,  which,  (saith  he,)  ye 
have  heard  of  me. 

Jerusalem  being  the  place  where  their  Master  was  crucified,  and 
where  his  principal  enemies  resided,  the  disciples  would  naturally 
be  disposed  to  take  the  first  opportunity  of  quitting  it,  in  order  to 
avoid  danger.  But  he  directs  them  to  remain  there  until  they 
should  receive  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  it  being  thought  right 
that  in  the  place  where  he  was  crucified,  and  most  dishonoured, 
he  should  also  receive  this  high  mark  of  the  divine  favour.  It  was 
the  place,  likewise,  in  which  there  would  be  the  greatest  number 
of  witnesses  to  the  miracle,  and  which  was  the  most  proper  for  the 
exhibition  of  it  on  that  account.  This  is  called  the  promise  of  the 
Father,  because  made  by  him  to  Christ ;  and  although  many  oth- 
ers had  been  delivered,  this  was  more  important  than  the  rest.  It 
had  often  been  repeated  by  Christ  to  his  disciples,  as  we  have 
already  seen.* 

5.  For  John  truly  baptized  with  water,  but  ye  shall 
be  baptized  with  the  Holy  Spirit  not  many  days 
hence. 

The  communication  of  miraculous  gifts  under  the  gospel  dispen- 
sation is  promised  by  the  prophet  Joel  ii.  24,  under  the  figure  of 
water.  "  I  will  pour  out  my  Spirit  upon  all  flesh."  This  image 
is  used  because  it  was  to  be  bestowed  plentifully,  or  without  re- 

*  Luke  xxiv.  4U.,  and  John  xiv.  IG,  26.  ;   xv.  2fi. ;   xvi.  7. 


i.  1—14.)  ACTS.  9 

serve,  as  water  is  poured  out ;  whereas  in  former  times  it  was  given 
more  sparingly,  and,  as  it  were,  by  measure.  In  allusion  to  this 
language,  John  tells  his  disciples  that  he  baptized  them  with  water, 
but  that  there  was  one  coming  who  would  baptize  them  with  the 
Holy  Spirit  and  with  fire.  To  these  words  of  John  he  now  refers 
his  disciples,  only  leaving  out  the  baptism  with  fire,  as  having 
relation  to  the  punishment  of  the  impenitent,  and  declares  that  the 
prophecy  shall  be  fulfilled  in  a  few  days. 

6.  When  they,  therefore,  were  come  together,  they 
asked  of  him,  saying,  Lord,  wilt  thou  at  this  time 
restore  again  the  kingdom  to  Israel  ? 

By  this  question  it  appears  that  the  apostles  were  still  possessed 
with  the  notion  universally  prevalent  among  the  Jews  respecting 
the  Messiah,  that  he  was  to  rescue  them  from  the  Roman  yoke, 
and  to  restore  the  independence  of  their  country.  They  seem  to 
have  concluded  that  he  was  raised  from  the  dead  for  this  purpose, 
and  only  wished  to  be  informed  whether  it  was  to  be  accomplished 
immediately,  or  after  some  time.  To  their  inquiry  he  returns  no 
direct  answer  ;  but  his  reply  intimates  that  his  kingdom  would  be 
of  a  different  nature  from  what  they  imagined, 

7.  And  he  said  unto  them.    It  is  not  for   you   to 

know  the  times  or  the  seasons  which  the  Father  hath 

put  in  his  own  power. 

The  words  seem  to  imply  that  at  some  time  or  other  the  king- 
dom was  to  be  restored  to  Israel  :  but  that  the  particular  period 
at  which  it  was  to  be  done  was  known  only  to  God,  and  not  to  be 
communicated  to  them.  They,  however,  would  have  no  share  in 
accomplishing  it,  but  be  employed  in  a  very  different  manner. 

8.  But  ye  shall  receive  power  after  that  the  Holy 
Spirit  is  come  upon  you,  ^'- ye  shall  receive  the  power 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  coming  upon  you,^^  and  ye  shall  be 
witnesses  unto  me,  both  in  Jerusalem,  and  in  all 
Judaea,  and  in  Samaria,  and  unto  the  uttermost  part 
of  the  earth. 

He  had  before  informed  them  that  they  should  be  baptized  with 
the  Holy  Spirit :  he  now  tells  them  for  what  purpose  it  was  to  be 
bestowed,  namely,  in  order  to  give  credibility  to  the  testimony 
which  they  were  to  bear,  both  in  Judasa  and  out  of  it,  to  his  mira- 
cles, doctrine,  and  resurrection.  This  was  the  general  design  of 
their  mission. 

9.  And  when  he  had  spoken  these  things,  w^hile 
they  beheld,  he  was  taken  up  ;  and  a  cloud  received 
him  out  of  their  sight. 

All  we  learn  from  this  passage  is,  that   Jesus,   after  ascending 

VOL.  III.  B 


la  ACTS.  (i.  1—14. 

into  the  air,  disappeared  from  the  view  of  his  disciples.  On  this 
occasion  it  is  natural  to  inquire  whither  he  went,  and  what  he  is 
now  doing.  But  on  these  subjects  the  history  is  silent.  The 
common  opinion,  indeed,  is  that  lie  ascended  to  some  place  above 
the  clouds,  where  God  has  his  peculiar  residence,  where  he  holds 
his  court,  sits  rtpon  a  throne,  and  is  surrounded  by  angels  and 
other  beings.  But  of  the  existence  of  such  a  place,  as  a  separate 
portion  of  the  universe,  we  may  reasonably  doubt.  Modern  discov- 
eries in  philosophy  have  shown  us  nothing  in  the  space  with  which 
we  are  surrounded  but  planets,  like  the  earth  on  which  we  live, 
moons,  comets,  and  stars.  The  sacred  writers  do  indeed  seem  to 
suppose  the  existence  of  such  a  place  as  that  which  has  been  just 
described  ;  but  it  is  rather  done  to  help  our  conceptions  than  to 
represent  what  is  strictly  true,  and  ought  no  more  to  be  understood 
literally,  than  when  they  speak  of  the  Deity  as  having  hands,  and 
eyes,  and  other  organs  of  a  man,  or  as  moving  from  place  to  place. 
In  regard  to  the  place  which  is  designed  to  be  the  residence  of 
good  men  after  the  resurrection,  it  is  probably  this  earth,  after  it 
has  undergone  certain  important  revolutions  which  may  be  neces- 
sary to  prepare  it  for  this  purpose.* 

If  then  there  be  no  local  heaven  above  the  clouds,  Christ,  in  as- 
cending, could  only  go  into  the  air,  and  never  proceed  beyond  the 
limits  of  this  planet.  Accordingly,  some  have  supposed  that  he  is 
still  on  or  near  the  earth,  although  invisible  to  us,  and  that  he  is 
employed,  together  with  Enoch  and  Elijah,  in  a  way  which  we 
cannot  comprehend,  in  promoting  the  designs  of  Providence  res- 
pecting the  Christian  church.  In  confirmation  of  this  opinion, 
they  have  observed  that  he  appeared  several  times  in  person  to  the 
apostle  Paul.t  But  it  must  be  remembered  that  on  this  subject, 
the  present  residence  of  Christ,  we  have  nothing  but  conjecture  to 
guide  us  ;  the  Scriptures  having  been  silent,  or,  at  most,  having 
only  furnished  obscure  hints. 

10.  And  while  they  looked  steadfastly  towards 
heaven,  as  he  went  up,  behold,  two  men  stood  by 
them  in  white  apparel, 

11.  Which  also  said  ;  Ye  men  of  Galilee,  why 
stand  ye  gazing  up  into  heaven  ?  This  same  Jesus, 
which  is  taken  up  from  you  into  heaven,  shall  so  come, 
in  like  manner  as  ye  have  seen  him  go  into  heaven. 

*  To  lliose  wlio  may  be  alannetl  with  such  spcculaiions  rospoctiiig'  tlio  future  hea- 
ven of  Christians,  I  would  rccomini'iid  the  words  of  ftlr.  Ilallctt.  '•  It  cannot  be 
thought  of  any  great  conse(|uencc  in  itself,"  says  he,  "  to  determine  in  wlial  place 
good  men  shall  dwell  after  the  resurrection.  It  is  enough  for  them  to  know  thai  they 
shall  be  completely  happy,  bolii  in  body  and  in  snul,  in  that  place,  be  it  where  it  will. 
Their  Ciod  and  Father  will  take  care  that  they  shall  be  in  a  most  convenient  and  glorious 
place;  and  ihey  ma}'  contentedly  go  on  towards  it,  (as  Abraham  did  towards  Canaan,) 
iiot  knowing  whither  they  go.  For  whore  the  king  is,  there  is  the  court,  and  where  God 
is,  there  is  happiness,  peace,  and  joy.  Upon  which  account  no  one  will  be  surprised 
to  find  me  supposing  that  good  men  shall  dwell  on  the  new  earth  forever.  God  can 
make  them  completely  happy  tliere  to  all  eternity." 

Noti's  cm  Texts  of  Scriptwe,  vol.  I.  p.  191. 

t  Priestley's  Discourses,  Vol.  H.  Disc.  IV.  Part  2. 


i.  1—14.)  ACTS.  U 

The  apostles  might  possibly  look  for  the  descent  of  their  Master 
to  the  earth  again  ;  or  feel  some  uneasy  apprehensions  about  his 
future  existence  and  happiness.  These  messengers  were,  there- 
fore, sent  to  inform  them  that,  although  he  disappeared  for  the 
present,  he  would  still  live,  and  that  they  should  see  him  again  ; 
for  that  he  would  descend  in  the  same  visible  and  glorious  manner 
in  which  he  had  now  ascended.  By  heaven,  in  these  two  verses, 
nothing  more  seems  to  be  intended  than  the  sky  ;  a  sense  which 
the  word  frequently  bears  in  Scripture  ;  for  we  arc  told  that  the 
disciples  looked  steadfastly  after  Jesus  towards  heaven,  that  is,  to- 
wards the  sky  ;  for  there  was  nothing  else  to  behold. 

12.  Then  returned  they  unto  Jerusalem  from  the 
mount  called  Olivet,  "  the  inount  of  Olives,''''  which  is 
from  Jerusalem  a  sabbath-day's  journey,  or,  about  two 
miles. 

13.  And  when  they  were  come  in,  that  is,  into 
Jerusalem,  they  went  up  into  an  upper  room,  to  escape 
observation,  where  abode,  "  ivhere  usually  abode,'''' 
both  Peter  and  James,  and  John  and  Andrew,  Philip 
and  Thomas,  Bartholomew  and  Matthew,  James,  the 
son  of  Alpheus,  and  Simon  Zelotes,  and  Judas  the 
brother  of  James. 

14.  These  all  continued  with  one  accord  in  prayer 
and  supplication,  with  the  women,  and  Mary  the 
mother  of  Jesus  and  with  his  brethren. 

The  principal  object  of  these  prayers,  no  doubt,  was  the  gift  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  which  Christ  had  encouraged  them  to  pray  for  by 
the  parable  of  the  man  who  went  to  his  friend  at  midnight,  to  beg 
three  loaves  of  bread,  and  succeeded  by  his  importunity,  of  which 
you  have  an  account,  Luke  xi.  1 — 13. 


REFLECTIONS. 


1.  The  rebuke  which  Christ  gave  to  his  disciples,  when  they 
inquired  whether  he  would  now  restore  the  kingdom  to  Israel, 
should  teach  us  to  restrain  our  curiosity  respecting  future  events. 
We  may  feel  ourselves  much  interested  in  them,  and  be  very  desi- 
rous to  know  when  they  will  take  place.  But  if  God  has  reserved 
them  in  his  power,  and  not  thought  proper  to  give  us  any  informa- 
tion respecting  them,  we  should  learn  to  be  contented  with  our 
ignorance,  and  quietly  acquiesce  in  his  will.  To  be  eager  and 
impatient  in  our  inquiries  after  what  God  has  concealed,  is  to  be 
dissatisfied  with  his  dispensations,  and  will  probably  involve  us  in 
many  errors  and  in  much  anxiety. 


la  ACTS.  (i.  1—14 

Where  predictions,  however,  have  been  delivered,  and  the  time 
of  their  accomplishment  has  been  marked  out  by  the  hand  of  God, 
although  in  obscure  cliaracfers,  we  are  not  laid  under  the  same 
restraint.  To  inquire  diligently  here  is  our  duty  ;  it  is  a  proof  of 
our  faith  in  the  divine  promise,  and  may  tend  yet  more  to  confirm  it. 

2.  The  miracle  here  related  bears  the  clearest  marks  of  truth, 
and  lays  a  just  foundation  for  hope  and  joy. 

It  is  not  said  to  have  been  performed  in  the  niglit,  or  while  the 
parties  were  all  involved  in  a  cloud,  as  in  some  fabulous  accounts, 
but  in  the  open  day  ;  not  in  tumult  and  confusion,  during  a  storm 
of  thunder  and  lightning,  when  the  attention  would  be  strongly 
attracted  to  another  object,  or  wholly  confounded  ;  but  while  Jesus 
was  speaking,  while  every  eye  was  fixed  upon  him  and  attentive  to 
him.  In  these  circumstances,  the  disciples  saw  him  taken  up  into 
the  air,  gradually  and  leisurely  ascending,  until  he  was  entirely 
■withdrawn  from  their  sight.  And,  lastly,  he  was  seen  not  by 
one  person  only,  but  by  many.  What  can  be  fairer  and  more 
unexceptionable  ! 

Although  we  know  not  with  certainty  the  place  of  his  residence, 
yet  we  are  assured  that  he  is  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  in  a  post  of 
the  highest  dignity  and  honour,  and  head  over  all  things  to  his 
church  ;  that  he  is  glorified  and  happy,  and  will  continue  to  be  so 
to  the  end  of  the  world,  the  consummation  of  all  things,  when  he 
will  come  again,  with  the  same  splendour,  to  raise  the  dead,  and 
to  judge  the  world.  Of  this  last  event,  his  miraculous  departure 
from  among  men  was  intended  to  afford  us  a  security  and  pledge ; 
it  is  naturally  calculated  to  produce  that  effect ;  and  the  design  is 
rendered  clear  beyond  all  doubt  by  the  testimony  of  two  angels. 

3,  Let  the  conduct  of  these  disciples,  in  betaking  them- 
selves to  prayer  on  the  present  occasion,  teach  us  what  we 
ought  to  do,  when  we  expect  important  blessings.  Christ  had 
often  promised  the  gift  of  the  Spirit  to  his  disciples,  during  the 
course  of  his  ministry  ;  he  had  renewed  the  same  promise  after 
his  resurrection,  and  just  before  his  departure,  so  as  to  leave  no 
room  for  doubt  in  their  minds,  that  they  would  be  bestowed.  Yet  they 
think  it  right  to  ask  them  of  God  by  fervent  and  continued  prayer, 
and  to  express  their  faith  in  the  divine  promise,  to  affect  their 
minds  with  a  proper  sense  of  the  value  of  the  favour,  and  of  their 
dependence  upon  the  Divine  Being  for  bestowing  it  upon  them. 
In  like  manner  let  us  act,  in  regard  to  the  many  valuable  blessings 
which  we  expect  for  ourselves  or  for  the  church  of  Christ.  Let 
us  not  deem  them  less  proper  objects  of  prayer,  because  we  think 
they  will  be  bestowed,  independently  of  our  requests  ;  for  although 
we  can  produce  no  change  in  the  divine  mind,  although  we  cannot 
increase  the  number  or  value  of  our  blessings  hereby,  yet  we  shall 
not  fail  to  benefit  ourselves. 


i.  15— 2G.)  ACTS.  13 

SECTION  II. 
Matthias  chosen  by  lot  as  an  apostle. 

Acts  i.  15 — 2G. 

15.  And  in  those  days,  in  the  interval  betiveen  the 
ascension,  and  the  day  of  Pentecost,  Peter  stood  up  in 
the  midst  of  the  disciples,  and  said,  (the  number  of 
names,  "  of  persons,''"'  together  were  about  a  hundred 
and  twenty,) 

We  are  not  to  suppose  that  these  were  the  whole  or  even  the 
greater  part  of  the  disciples  j  for  we  learn,  that  more  than  five 
hundred  were  assembled,  on  one  occasion,  after  Christ's  resurrec- 
tion,* but  these  were  all  that  met  at  Jerusalem,  for  the  purpose  of 
daily  supplicating  the  promised  gifts  of  the  Spirit.  The  rest  were 
dispersed  in  different  parts  of  the  country.  Names  are,  in  this 
verse,  put  for  persons,  by  a  common  figure  of  speech,  of  which 
•we  have  several  examples  in  heathen  authors,  as  well  as  in  the 
Scriptures.t 

16.  Men  and  brethren,  '■'■brethren,''''  this  scripture 
must  needs  have  been  fulfilled,  which  the  Holy  spirit, 
by  the  mouth  of  David,  spake  before,  concerning 
Judas,  which  was  guide  to  them  that  took  Jesus. 

The  passage,  to  which  Peter  here  refers,  will  be  considered  here- 
after. But  there  has  been  no  small  difficulty  in  accounting  for  the 
apostle's  appearing  to  say,  that  the  words  in  question  were  a  pro- 
phecy of  Judas,  and  fulfilled  in  the  events  of  his  life,  when  it  is 
evident  to  those  that  read  the  Psalms,  that  they  refer  to  the  ene- 
mies of  David,  and  to  them  only.  Some  have  attempted  to  solve 
this  difficulty,  by  supposing,  that  although  the  words  were  original- 
ly intended  for  the  enemies  of  the  king  of  Israel,  which  is  too 
plain  to  be  denied,  yet  the  Spirit  of  God,  by  whom  they  were 
dictated,  had  a  reference  to  the  enemies  of  Christ,  and  particular- 
ly to  Judas  the  traitor  and  apostate. |  But  I  think  it  much  better 
to  acknowledge  at  once,  that  the  words  were  never  intended  for 
him,  and  were  only  applied  to  him  by  the  apostles  by  way  of 
accommodation,  than  to  have  recourse  to  a  sense  so  contrary  to 
their  obvious  meaning.  The  words  are  attributed  to  the  Holy 
Spirit,  because  all  the  Psalms  were  supposed  by  the  Jews  of  our 
Lord's  time,  as  they  are  by  the  generality  of  Christians  of  the 
present  day,  to  be  inspired. 

17.  For  he  was  numbered  with  us,  and  had  ob- 
tained part  of  this  ministry. 

*  1  Cor.  XV.  6.  t  Wetslein  and  Pearce.  X  Doddridg-e. 


14  ACTS.  (i.  15—26. 

These  words  are  intended  to  show,  that  he  deserved  the  evils 
which  befel  him,  which  are  mentioned  in  the  twcntiotli  verse. 
Forasmuch  as  he  was  as  regularly  chosen  to  the  office  of  an  apostle, 
as  the  rest,  his  guilt  in  betraying  his  Master  and  deserting  his  post, 
was  the  more  aggravated. 

18.  Now  this  man  purchased  a  field  with  the 
reward  of  iniquity,  and,  falling  headlong,  he  burst 
asunder  in  the  midst,  and  all  his  bowels    gushed   out. 

19.  And  it  was  known  unto  all  the  dwellers  at 
Jerusalem,  insomuch  as  that  field  is  called  in  their 
proper  tongue,  "  in  their  own  dialect,'''^  Aceldama,  that 
is  to  say,  the  field  of  blood. 

It  is  evident  that  what  these  verses  contain,  could  not  be 
the  words  of  Peter,  although  they  are  introduced  into  his  discourse. 
For  Peter  could  have  no  inducement  to  mention  the  circumstances 
which  attended  the  death  of  Judas  to  the  apostles  and  other  disci- 
ples, who  were  as  well  acquainted  with  them  as  himself;  the  trans- 
actions having  taken  place  but  a  few  days  before,  and  in  the  city 
of  Jerusalem  where  they  now  were.  Much  less  can  it  be  supposed, 
that  Peter  would  inform  his  countrymen,  that  in  their  proper 
dialect,  the  field  in  which  Judas  died  was  called  Aceldama,  that  is 
to  say,  the  field  of  blood.  Such  an  explanation  is  evidently  the 
language  of  a  man  who  is  instructing  foreigners  in  the  meaning  of 
an  unknown  term,  and  not  that  of  a  native,  addressing  the  inhabi- 
tants of  a  country  in  which  he  lives. 

If  these  two  verses,  therefore,  are  a  genuine  part  of  the  text, 
they  must  be  regarded  as  the  words  of  Luke  the  writer  of  the  Acts. 
But  there  is  strong  reason  to  suspect,  that  they  come  neither  from 
Luke  nor  Peter,  and  that  they  are  an  interpolation,  or  an  addition 
to  the  text,  which,  by  some  means  has  been  introduced  into  it ;  for 
this  account  is  very  different  from,  if  not  absolutely  inconsistent 
with,  that  given  by  Matthew.  I  will  read  the  words  of  the  evan- 
gelist, and  leave  you  to  judge,  whether  they  can  be  reconciled. 
He  says,  that  Judas,  having  repented  of  what  he  had  done,  cast 
down  the  pieces  of  silver  in  the  temple,  and  departed,  and  went 
and  hanged  himself;  and  the  chief  priests  took  the  silver  pieces,  and 
said.  It  is  not  lawful  for  to  put  them  into  the  treasury,  because  it  is 
the  price  of  blood  ;  and  they  took  counsel,  and  bought  with  them 
the  potter's  field,  to  bury  strangers  in  ;  wherefore  tliat  field  was 
called  the  field  of  blood  unto  this  day.     Matt,  xxvii.  Ji,  &.c. 

Hence,  you  perceive,  that  the  two  accounts  differ  from  each 
other  in  several  material  circumstances.  According  to  Matthew, 
Judas  died  by  his  own  hands,  by  hanging  himself.  According  to 
this  account,  he  fell  headlong,  and  burst  asunder.  According  to 
Matthew,  the  chief  priests  bought  the  field;  here  we  are 
told,  that  Judas  purchased  it  himself.  One  says,  that  it  was 
called  the  field  of  blood,  because  bought  with  the  price  of  blood  ; 
whereas  it  is  intimated  by  the  other,  that  it  was  so  called,  because 
Judas  died   there.       I   cannot  conceive   that   two   such    contra- 


i.  15—26.  ACTS.  15 

dictory  accounts  could  come  from  the  pens  of  persons  so  well 
informed  as  Matthew  and  Luke  were,  respecting  every  thing 
which  related  to  so  remarkable  a  personage  as  the  traitor.  If  the 
account  of  Matthew,  therefore,  be  genuine,  which  there  is  every 
reason  to  suppose,  that  given  us  in  the  Acts  cannot  have  been 
written  by  Luke,  but  by  some  other  person,  who  contrived  to  insert 
it  in  the  early  copies,  whence  it  has  been  transmitted  down  to  us. 
It  seems  to  confirm  this  supposition,  that  if  the  story  be  entirely 
removed,  no  chasm  is  made  in  the  history.  This  story  is  not 
necessary  to  account  for  any  thing  which  precedes  or  follows  ; 
and  the  want  of  it  is  not  perceived  :  for  the  seventeenth  verse 
connects  very  well  with  the  twentieth. 

The  supposition  now  made  does  not,  I  acknov.'ledge,  correspond 
with  the  opinion  of  the  majority  of  the  commentators  upon  the 
passage  ;  but  I  am  glad  to  find  it  supported  by  so  sagacious  a 
commentator  as  Bishop  Pearce,  who  says,  "  these  seem  not  to  be 
the  words  of  Peter,  and  perhaps  they  were  not  the  words  of  Luke, 
the  writer  of  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles."  I  know,  indeed,  that 
attempts  have  been  made  by  other  ingenious  men  to  reconcile  the 
differences ;  but  they  are  such  as  would  enable  us  to  reconcile  the 
most  contradictory  narratives.  Where  a  real  difticulty  occurs  it  is 
much  better  to  admit  it  in  its  full  force,  than,  by  evading  it,  to 
incur  the  charge  of  disingenuousness. 

20.  For  it  is  written  in  the  book  of  Psalms,  Let 
his  habitation  be  desolate,  and  let  no  man  dwell 
therein;  and  his  bishoprick,  '^ his  office, ^^  let  another 
take. 

In  this  verse  there  is  a  reference  to  two  Psalms  of  David  ;  the 
former  is  Psalm  Ixix.  25.  Let  their  habitation  be  desolate,  and  let 
none  dwell  in  their  tents;  where  you  see  that  David  speaks  of  his 
enemies  in  the  plural  number;  whereas  Peter  applies  his  words 
to  an  individual ;  but  the  change  is  a  matter  of  little  consequence,, 
as  the  apostle  uses  the  words  of  the  Psalmist  only  in  the  way  of 
accommodation,  and  not  as  a  real  prophecy.  The  latter  is  Psalm 
cix.  8.  Let  his  days  be  few,  and  let  another  take  his  office ;  where 
David  imprecates  the  divine  vengeance  upon  an  individual,  some 
one  of  his  own  enemies,  or  those  of  Israel,  which  the  apostle  Peter 
applies  to  Judas,  in  the  same  way  of  accommodation  as  he  does 
the  preceding  passage. 

21.  Wherefore,  of  these  men  which  have  compa- 
nied  with  us  ail  the  time  that  the  Lord  Jesus  went  in 
and  out  among  us  ; 

22.  Beginning  from  the  baptism  of  .John,  unto 
that  same  day  that  he  was  taken  up  from  us,  must 
one  be  ordained,  to  be  a  witness  with  us  of  his 
resurrection. 

Besides  the  twelve  apostles,  there  were  other  disciples  of  Jesus 
who  constantly  attended  him  from  the  beginning  of  his  ministry  : 


16  ACTS.  (i.  15— 2G. 

namely,  from  his  baptism  by  John,  at  which  time  he  received  the 
Holy  Spirit,  to  the  time  when  it  closed,  when  he  was  taken  up 
from  them.  How  many  they  were  in  number,  we  are  not  told  ; 
but  Luke  mentions  seventy  who  were  sent  out  to  preach.  The 
whole  number  was  probably  much  greater.  Of  these  persons 
Peter  proposed,  that  one  should  be  chosen,  to  supply  the  place  of 
Judas,  in  order  that  he  might,  with  them,  communicate  to  the 
world  the  knowledge  of  all  that  Christ  had  said  or  done  during  his 
ministry,  and  likewise  of  his  resurrection. 

We  see  hence,  what  the  apostle  Peter  thought  requisite  to  con- 
stitute a  man  a  disciple  of  Jesus :  it  was  the  belief  of  those  things 
concerning  Christ  which  took  place  from  the  commencement  of 
his  ministry  to  the  close  of  it.  Respecting  those  transactions 
which  took  place  prior  to  his  public  appearance,  the  apostle  is 
silent,  they  were  either  unknown,  or  to  communicate  the  knowl- 
edge of  them  was  no  part  of  the  business  of  an  apostle.  In  cor- 
respondence with  this  language,  two  of  the  evangelists,  Mark  and 
John,  begin  their  history  of  Jesus  with  the  time  of  his  baptism: 
and  although  the  two  others  appear  to  commence  their  account  at 
an  early  period,  and  relate  many  wonderful  things  respecting  his 
birth  and  infancy,  many  persons  have  seen  reason  to  doubt  whether 
this  part  of  the  history  were  really  written  by  Matthew  and  Luke. 

23.  And  they  appointed  two,  Joseph,  called  Barsa- 
bas,  whose  surname  was  Justus,  and  Matthias  : 

24.  And  they  prayed,  and  said,  Thou,  Lord,  which 
knowest  the  hearts  of  all  men,  show  whither  of  these 
two  thou  hast  chosen. 

In  Jeremiah  xvii.  10,  the  prophet  represents  God  as  saying, 
"I,  the  Lord,  search  the  heart."  It  is  to  this,  probably,  that 
the  apostles  allude,  when  they  intreat  God  to  choose  him  whom  he 
knew  to  be  the  best  qualified  for  the  office  for  which  they  designed 
him. 

25.  That   he    may  take  part  of  this  ministry  and 

apostleship,  from  which  Judas,   by  transgression   fell, 

^^  which  he  left, '^^  or,  "fromichich  he  departed,'^''  that 

he  might  go  to  his  own  place. 

By  his  own  place,  some  understand  his  original  occupation,  to 
which  he  returned  after  being  an  apostle.  Others  suppose,  that 
the  phrase  means  the  place  of  the  damned,  or  punished.  But  it 
seems  most  probable,  that  by  his  own  place  is  meant  the  grave,  the 
place  which  he  now  occupied. 

26.  And  they  gave  forth  their  lots,  and  the  lot  fell 
upon  Matthias ;  and  he  was  numbered  with  the  eleven 
apostles. 


ii.  1—13.)  ACTS.  11 


REFLECTIONS. 

1.  The  passage  of  Scripture  which  we  have  been  reading, 
shows  us  the  strength  of  the  ground  on  which  our  faith  in  the 
Christian  religion  is  built.  It  is  erected  on  the  testimony  of  mea 
who  were  eye  and  ear-witnesses  of  the  facts  wliich  they  relate  ; 
who  accompanied  their  Master  during  the  whole  of  his  ministry,  had 
access  to  his  person  at  all  times,  conversed  with  him  in  the  most 
familiar  manner,  were  well  assured  of  his  death,  and  saw  him  after 
his  resurrection  from  the  dead.  That  so  many  persons,  who  had 
such  opportunities  of  being  well  informed,  should  all  be  mistaken 
or  deceived,  is  impossible  ;  and  it  is  also  impossible,  that  they 
should  all  unite  in  propagating  a  known  falsehood.  Their  testimo- 
ny is  so  far  from  being  destroyed  by  the  apostacy  of  a  solitary  in- 
dividual, that  it  is  greatly  strengthened  and  confirmed  thereby. 
For  that  individual  has  no  frauds  to  discover,  no  impostures  to  dis- 
close, in  order  to  justify  his  desertion  ;  on  the  contrary,  the  volun- 
tary death  which  be  inllicted  upon  himself  for  having  betrayed  his 
Master,  is  a  striking  confirmation  of  the  testimony  given  by  the  rest 
to  the  innocence  and  excellence  of  his  character.  On  evidence  of 
this  nature,  founded  on  the  testimony  of  friends,  and  confirmed  by 
the  conduct  of  enemies,  we  may  rely  with  the  utmost  confidence. 
It  stands  upon  a  rock,  which  nothing  will  be  able  to  shake. 

2.  The  apostles  and  first  disciples  justly  regarded  every  event, 
however  little  decided  by  human  agency,  even  the  issue  of  a  lot,  as 
under  the  direction  of  Divine  Providence,  and  prayed  to  God  for 
a  favourable  issue.  In  the  same  light  let  us  learn  to  regard  those 
occurrences  of  life  in  which  we  cannot  readily  discern  the  hand  of 
intelligence  :  the  joy  or  sorrow  which  they  bring  with  them  is  not 
the  effect  of  chance,  but  of  design.  They  are  no  less  a  part  of 
the  plan  of  infinite  wisdom  respecting  the  world  than  the  legular 
and  uniform  operations  of  nature,  and  demand,  no  less,  our  grate- 
ful acknowledcrments  and  humble  submission. 


SECTION  III. 

Effusion  of  the  Spirit  on  the  day  of  Pentecost. 

Acts  ii.  1 — 47. 

1.  And  when  the  day^  of  Pentecost  was  fully 
come,  "  was  arrived,'^''  they  were  all,  i.  e.  the  ajjostles^ 
with  one  accord  in  one  place. 

*  Pearce  prerers  i/uifx;,  days,  which   is  the  reading  of  most  of  the  ancient  versions. 
Griesbach,  2nd  edit. 

VOL.  m.  c 


18  ACTS.  (ii.  1—13. 

Pentecost  is  a  Greek  name  for  a  Jewish  festival,  which  was  ob- 
served fifty  days  after  the  passover.  It  is  sometimes  called  the 
feast  of  weeks,  bec:iiise  it  was  seven  weeks,  or  a  week  of  weeks, 
from  the  feast  of  unleavened  bread  ;*  sometimes,  the  feast  of  har- 
vest, because  the  first  fruits  of  wheat-harvest  were  offered  to  God 
on  that  day.t  This  day  seems  to  have  been  fixed  upon  for  the 
miracle,  because  Jerualcm  being  then  crowded  with  people  who 
came  to  observe  the  festival,  there  would  be  the  more  witnesses  of 
the  event. 

2.  And  suddenly  there  came  a  sound  from  heaven, 
as  of  a  rushing  mighty  wind  ;  and  it  filled  all  the 
house,  "  the  whole  room,^^X  where    they  were  sitting. 

This  sound,  which  resembled  that  of  a  great  wind,  seemed  at 
first  to  be  external,  and  to  come  from  the  sky,  but  afterwards  it  was 
internal,  and  heard  in  every  part  of  the  room  where  they  were  sit- 
ting. The  design  of  it  seems  to  have  been  no  more  than  to  an- 
nounce the  presence  of  the  Deity,  and  to  direct  the  attention  to 
the  cause  of  what  was  about  to  take  place.  Similar  examples  are 
to  be  found  in  the  Old  Testament,  of  the  approach  of  the  Deity 
to  produce  some  miraculous  effect,  being  preceded  by  a  great 
noise.§ 

3.  And  they  saw  like  tongues  of  fire,  distribut- 
ing themselves,  and  settling  upon  each  of  them. 

I  adopt  this  translation,  which  is  Mr.  Wakefield's, ||  because  it  ap- 
pears to  me  to  correspond  better  wiih  the  meaning  of  the  original 
than  the  old  translation.  Flames  of  fire,  which  Luke  compares  to 
tongues,  supposing,  probably,  that  they  had  an  allusion  to  the  gift 
of  tongues,  appeared  in  the  room,  and  were  distributed  upon  the 
heads  of  the  apostles,  over  whom  they  continued  to  hover.  Fire, 
as  well  as  wind,  is  well  known  to  have  been  employed  under  the 
Old  Testament  dispensation,  to  announce  the  presence  of  the 
Deity.  Thus  we  find,  that  fire  appeared  to  Moses  in  the  bush  ;  to 
the  children  of  Israel  in  the  cloud,  and  to  the  giver  of  the  law  upon 
Mount  Sinai.  And  it  is  generally  supposed,  that  a  light  appeared 
over  Christ  at  his  baptism.  In  like  manner,  the  fire  in  the  present 
instance  was  intended,  as  well  as  the  mighty  wind,  to  announce  the 
presence  of  the  Deity  about  to  produce  a  miraculous  efl'ect.  VV^hat 
the  miracle  was  we  are  informed  in  the  next  verse. 

4.  And  they  were  all  filled  with  the  Holy  Spirit, 
and  began  to  speak  with  other  tongues,  "  languages,'''* 
as  the  Spirit  gave  them  utterance. 

By  their  being  filled  with  the  Holy  Spirit  no  more  can  be  meant 
than  that  they  abounded  with  miraculous  powers,  wliich  manifested 
themselves  in  various  ways,  as  if  the  persons  from  whom  they  came 

*  Exodus  xxiv.  22.  t  Exodus  xxlL  IG. 

t  Pearce,  who  refers  to  Mallhew  v.  15. 

%  Ezekiel  xliii.  2.         1  Kings  xix.  11. 

II  Se«  Bo»,  likewise,  as  quoted  by  Doddridge. 


ii.  1—13.)  ACTS.  19 

had  been  filled  with  them.  One  proof  of  this  appeared  immediate- 
ly, in  their  speakinn;  various  forcicin  languaf;;es,  which  they  had 
never  learnt  ;  a  thing  in  itself  impossible,  except  to  those  vviin  are 
aided  by  divine  power.  This  power  over  foreign  languages  was 
given  to  them  instantaneously  ;  and  they  were  incited  to  exercise 
it  immediately,  in  relating  the  miracles  and  unfolding  the  doctrine 
of  Jesus.  They  are  said  to  speak,  with  other  languages  as  the 
Spirit  gave  them  utterance  ;  by  which  we  are  to  understand  that 
they  spoke  that  foreign  language  which  the  power  of  God  enabled 
them  to  speak.  It  is  probable  that  no  one  individual  spoke  all 
languages,  although  they  might  have  difierent  powers  in  this 
respect. 

5.  And  there  were  dwelling  at  Jerusalem  Jews, 
devout  men,  out  of  every  nation  under  heaven. 

As  these  Jews  are  called  devout  men,  it  is  probable  that  they 
were  brought  here  by  their  devotional  spirit,  and  were  not  constant 
but  occasional  residents  at  .Jerusalem,  come  up  to  this  city  to  cele- 
brate some  of  the  public  festivals,  and  intending  afterwards  to  re- 
turn to  the  countries  whence  they  came.  The  words  "  out  of  every 
nation  under  heaven,"  are  not  to  be  taken  in  their  full  extent,  as  if 
there  were  Jews  from  every  nation  of  the  earth,  but  as  signifying 
that  there  were  some  of  this  people  from  most  parts  of  the  known 
world. 

6.  Now  when  this  was  noised  abroad,  literally, 
"  when  this  sound  ivas,^''  the  sound  mentioned  ver.  2, 
the  multitude  came  together,  and  were  confounded, 
because  that  every  man  heard  them  speak  in  his  own 
language. 

The  sound,  which  first  appeared  to  come  from  heaven,  and  after- 
wards from  the  room  in  which  the  apostles  were  assembled,  was  so 
remarkable  as  to  attract  the  attention  of  the  whole  neighbourhood, 
and  to  bring  together  a  great  crowd  of  people,  consisting  partly  of 
inhabitants  of  Judaea,  and  partly  of  foreigners,  the  latter  of  whom 
were  astonished  to  find  their  own  language  spoken  by  some  one  of 
the  company.  The  occasion  of  their  speaking  foreign  languages 
was  the  presence  of  these  strangers. 

Because  it  is  here  said,  every  man  heard  them  speak  in  his  own 
lant^uage,  it  has  been  supposed  by  some  that  the  apostles  spoke 
only  one  language,  but  that  every  one  heard  them  in  his  own,  and 
that  the  miracle,  therefore,  was  wrought,  not  on  the  speakers,  but 
the  hearers.  This  supposition,  however,  is  inconsistent  with  the 
language  of  the  historian,  who  says,  that  the  speakers  were  filled 
with  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  is  contradicted  by  a  circumstance  men- 
tioned below,  that  some  of  the  company  mocked,  which  could  only 
arise  from  their  not  understanding  what  they  heard.  It  is  plainly 
inconsistent  likewise  with  what  Paul  says  to  the  Corinthians,  whom 
he  blames  for  the  too  free  use  of  this  gift,  on  the  ground  of  their 
being  unintelligible  to  their  hearers. 

7.  And  they  were  all  amazed,  and  marvelled,  say- 


20  ACTS.  (ii.  1—13. 

ing  one  to  another,  Behold,  arc    not   all   these  which 
speak,  Galileans  ? 

8.  Ajid  how  hear  we  every  man  in  our  own  tongue 

wherein  we  were  born  ? 

The  persons  speaking  foreiajn  languages  upon  the  present  occa- 
sion, with  so  much  correctness  and  propriety,  as  to  be  intelligible 
to  those  to  whom  they  were  vernacular,  thoy  observed,  were  Gal- 
ileans, in  an  ordinary  station  of  life,  who  could  have  no  opportuni- 
ty of  acquiring  the  knowledge  which  they  appeared  to  possess  ; 
the  more  especially,  as  the  same  person  spoke  several  languages, 
some  of  which  had  no  affinity  to  each  other.  This  excited  their 
amazement,  as  well  it  might. 

9.  Parthians,  i.  e.  "  We  ParihianSy^^  and  Medes, 
and  Elamites,  or,  "  Persians,''''  and  the  dwellers  in 
Mesopotamia,  and  in  Judaea,  and  Cappadocia,  in  Pon- 
tus,  and  Asia, 

10.  Phrygia  and  Pamphylia,  in  Egypt,  and  in  the 
parts  of  Lybia  about  Cyrene,  and  strangers  of  Rome, 
Jews  and  proselytes, 

11.  Cretes  and  Arabians,  we  do  hear  them  speak 
in  our  tongues  the  wonderful  works  of  God. 

In  this  list  of  countries,  in  which  foreign  languages  were  spoken, 
it  is  observable  that  Judaea  is  mentioned,  although  the  apostles 
were  Jews,  which  some  account  for  by  supposing  that  the  dialect 
spoken  in  Galilee  was  so  different  from  that  spoken  in  Judaea,  as  to 
be  esteemed  a  distinct  language  ;  others,  by  supposing  that  we 
ought  to  read  Mesopotamian  Judaea,  the  Jews  in  that  country  being 
so  numerous  as  to  be  called  by  Josephus  a  nation,  and  to  induce 
Luke  to  call  it  another  Jud.Tea.  The  strangers  of  Rome  arc  said  to 
include  both  Jews  and  proselytes  ;  and  it  is  well  known  that  there 
were  nmny  Jews  at  Kome,  and  that  they  made  many  proselytes. 

The  wonderful  works  of  God,  about  which  the  apostles  are  said 
to  discourse,  were  probably  the  divine  mission,  the  miracles,  and 
particularly,  the  resurrection  and  ascension  of  Jesus. 

12.  And  they  were  all  amazed,  and  were  in  doubt, 
saying,  one  to  another,  What  meaneth  this  ? 

13.  Others,  mocking,  said.  These  men  are  full  of 
new  wine. 

These  were  persons  who  did  not  understand  their  language,  and 
supposed  that  tlie  strange  sounds  which  they  heard  were  the  efl'ect 
of  intoxication.  Those  wlio  understood  them  also,  and  who  might 
suppose  the  power  with  which  they  a|)iieared  to  be  endued  to  be 
miraculous,  could  not  understand  for  what  purpose  it  was  bestow- 
ed ;  not  knowing  that  it  was  designed  to  qualify  the  apostles  for 
preaching  the  gospel  in  foreign  countries. 


ii.  1—13.)  ACTS.  21 


REFLECTIONS. 

The  miracle  of  which  we  have  here  an  account,  is  one  of  the 
most  remarkable  that  occur  in  the  whole  history  of  revelation  ;  and 
it  affords  an  illustrious  proof  of  the  power  of  God,  and  a  satisfac- 
tory confirmation  of  the  truth  of  the  Christian  religion.  To  un- 
derstand a  foreign  language,  so  far  as  to  enter  with  ease  into  the 
sentiments  of  a  speaker  or  writer,  is  well  known  to  be  extremely 
difficult,  and  to  require  the  patient  exertion  of  several  years  :  but 
to  acquire  so  complete  a  knowledge  as  to  speak  it  fluently,  requires 
long  labour  and  much  patient  exertion.  Cut  here  we  find  that 
knowledge  acquired  in  an  instant,  without  any  previous  study  or 
application,  and  not  the  knowledge  of  one  language  only,  but  of 
several. 

Yet,  great  and  astonishing  as  this  effect  is,  it  is  not  too  great  for 
the  power  of  God  to  accomplish.  He  who  made  man's  mouth, 
and  gave  him  the  faculty  of  speech,  he  who  taught  the  first  man  to 
speak  without  any  human  instructor,  can,  no  doubt,  if  he  so  please, 
inspire  him  at  once  with  the  knowledge  of  all  languages,  without 
learning  any.  No  one  can  say  that  this  is  more  than  God  can 
perform,  where  there  is  an  evident  propriety  and  necessity  for  it, 
as  there  was  in  the  present  instance. 

Had  the  disciples  of  Jesus  been  impostors,  as  some  would  insinu- 
ate, had  they  now  been  carrying  on  a  system  of  fraud,  which  their 
Master  had  begun,  we  should  have  found  them,  at  first  at  least, 
copying  his  example,  and  imitating  some  of  the  miracles  which 
they  had  seen  him  perform,  because  such  miracles  would  have 
been  most  easily  believed,  and  might  have  passed  without  examina- 
tion. But  here  is  a  miracle  which  bears  no  resemblance  to  any 
thing  that  has  been  performed  before,  of  which  no  parallel  can  be 
found  in  the  history  of  the  country,  and  which,  therefore,  could 
never  have  occurred  to  Jews.  Had  it  heen  an  imposture,  nothing 
would  have  been  more  easy  of  detection  :  for  here  are  persons  pre- 
sent from  every  country  under  heaven,  who  would  quickly  discern 
the  falsehood  of  pretensions  which  were  not  well  supported. 

Let  us  then  acknowledge,  with  gratitude  and  joy,  the  evident 
hand  of  Gq,d  in  this  event.  Let  us  rejoice  that  the  same  divine 
power  which  so  eminently  distinguished  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  con- 
tinues to  be  conferred  upon  his  successors,  hereby  qualifying  thera 
for  preaching  the  gospel  to  all  nations,  and  sealing  the  truth  of  their 
testimony.  To  suppose  that  God  could  countenance  men  who 
were  engaged  in  propagating  a  falsehood,  by  enabling  thera  to 
speak  various  languages  which  they  had  never  learned,  and  to  per- 
form other  miracles,  is  to  suppose  that  he  could  act  contrary  to 
his  attributes  of  justice  and  mercy,  and  contradict  his  character  ; 
which  is  impossible. 


22  ACTS.  (ii.  14—24. 

14.  But  Poter,  standing  up  with  the  eleven,  lift- 
ed up  his  voice,  "  raised  his  voice,^^  and  said  unto 
them,  Ye  men  of  Judsea,  and  all  ye  that  dwell  at 
Jerusalem,  be  this  known  unto  you,  and  hearken  to 
my  words  : 

Those  who  did  not  understand  the  languages  spoken  by  the 
apostles,  supposed  tliat  they  wore  intoxicated.  This  charge  Peter 
now  refutes,  hy  explaining  the  nature  of  the  miracle,  and  showing 
tiiat  notiiing  had  taken  place  but  what  had  been  foretold,  liy  its 
being  said  that  Peter  stood  up  with  the  eleven,  it  seems  probable 
that  they  are  the  only  persons  whom  he  means  to  vindicate  from 
the  aspersion  in  verse  the  thirteenth  ;  and  that  consequently,  they 
are  the  only  persons  who  on  this  occasion  spoke  in  foreign  tongues. 
Peter  addresses  himself  more  particularly  to  Jews,  and  inhabitants 
of  Jerusalem,  because  it  was  among  them  principally  that  this  mis- 
take prevailed  ;  native  Jews  being  the  most  likely  to  regard  a  for- 
eign language  as  a  jargon. 

15.  For  these  are  not  drunken,  as  ye  suppose, 
seeing  it  is  but  the  third  hour  of  the  day,  nine  o^dock 
in  the  morning. 

16.  But  this  is  that  which  was  spoken  by  the 
prophet  Joel  ;* 

17.  And  it  shall  come  to  pass  in  the  last  days, 
saith  God,  I  will  pour  out  of  my  Spirit  upon  all  flesh : 
and  your  sons  and  your  dauo:hters  shall  prophesy,  and 
your  young  men  shall  see  visions,  and  your  old  men 
shall  dream  dreams  : 

18.  And  on  my  servants  and  on  my  hand-maid- 
ens, "  on  my  'inen-scrvants  and  my  maid-servants,^''  I 
will  pour  out  in  those  days  of  my  spirit,  and  they 
shall  prophesy. 

"In  the  last  days."  These  words  do  not  exactly  correspond 
with  the  language  of  the  prophecy,  where  we  have,  instead  of  them, 
the  word  "  afterward."  Peter,  however,  interpreted  that  word  to 
mean  the  last  days,  which  is  a  phrase  which  occurs  in  other  proph- 
ecies, and  is  understood  to  signify  the  days  of  the  Messiah  ;t  al- 
though some  suppose  that  it  refers  to  a  much  later  period,  when 
the  Jews  are  to  be  restored  to  their  own  land.|  Prophetic  and  mi- 
raculous powers  had  now  been  discontinued  for  the  space  of  four 
hundred  years,  from  the  time  of  JMalachi  to  the  appearance  of 
Christ.  It  is  highly  probable,  therefore,  that  so  remarkable  a  dis- 
play of  those  powers  as  was  exhibited  on  this  occasion,  would  be 
the  subject  of  prophecy.      But  those  who  imagine  that  this  proph- 

*  Joel  ii.  28.  t  Isa.  ii.  2. 

i  Theological  Repository,  Vol.  V.  p.  IVJ. 


ii.  14—24.)  ACTS.  23 

ecy  refers  to  the  last  period  of  the  Jewish  state,  must  suppose 
that  the  gift  of  the  Spirit  was  entirely  overlooked,  which  is  very 
unlikely. 

"  I  will  pour  out  of  my  Spirit."  The  Spirit  of  God,  or  the 
Holy  Spirit,  signifies,  as  before  explained,  not  a  person,  but  the 
divine  power,  exerted  in  miraculous  gifts  :  these  were  to  be  be- 
stowed in  such  variety  and  abundance  in  the  present  instance,  that 
they  are  compared  to  the  pouring  out  of  water,  which  is  expend- 
ed without  strict  regard  to  quantity. 

"  Upon  all  Hash."  This  may  signify  all  mankind,  Gentiles  as 
well  as  Jews,  or  all  classes  of  persons,  people  of  every  age,  sex, 
and  condition.  It  is  to  the  latter  sense  that  the  words  which  fol- 
low seem  to  restrict  its  meaning  ;  for  the  prophet  proceeds  im- 
mediately to  enumerate  the  persons  included  under  that  general 
term.* 

"  And  your  sons  and  your  daughters  shall  prophesy."  To 
prophesy,  signifies  sometimes  to  commuicate  religious  instruction, 
as  well  as  to  foretel  future  events.  Both  senses  may  be  included 
here,  as  several  of  the  first  Christians  of  both  sexes  were  qualified  to 
predict  as  well  as  to  teach. 

"  And  your  young  men  shall  see  visions,  and  your  old  men  shall 
dream  dreams."  Dreams  and  visions  were  methods  by  which 
God,  in  ancient  times,  communicated  notices  of  his  will  to  proph- 
ets and  patriarchs.  In  visions,  objects  were  presented  to  the  im- 
agination, while  the  prophet  was  awake,  but  in  dreams,  the  same 
thing  was  done  while  he  was  asleej).  It  is  here  foretold,  that  the 
same  mode  of  divine  revelation  would  be  observed  under  the  new 
dispensation  ;  and  accordingly,  we  have  examples  of  both  in  the 
book  of  Acts.  When  it  is  said  that  the  young  men  should  see 
visions,  and  the  old  men  dream  dreams,  we  are  not  to  suppose  that 
only  visions  were  to  be  communicated  to  the  young,  and  only 
dreams  to  tlie  old  ;  but  that  visions  and  dreams  were  to  be  commu- 
nicated to  persons  of  all  ages,  to  young  and  old. 

The  next  thing  which  God  promises  in  this  prophesy,  is,  that 
this  Spirit  should  be  poured  out  upon  men-servants  and  maid-ser- 
vants. The  words  in  the  original  denote  men-servants  and  maid- 
servants of  the  lowest  condition,  such  as  were  bought  or  taken  in 
war,  that  is,  slaves.  Persons  in  ihis  condition  were  to  partake  of 
the  Spirit,  or  of  miraculous  powers.  It  is  added,  "  and  they  shall 
prophesy,"  but  these  words  are  not  found  in  Joel,  neither  in  the 
Hebrew,  nor  in  the  Greek  version.  The  want  ot  them  is,  howev- 
er, of  little  consequence  ;  for  prophesying  is  plainly  implied  in  the 
promise  of  the  Spirit. 

19.  And  I  will  show  wonders  in  heaven  above, 
and  signs  in  the  earth  beneath  ;  blood,  and  fire,  and 
vapour  of  smoke. 

20.  The  sun  shall  be  turned  into  darkness,  and 
the  moon  into  blood,  before  that  great  and  notable 
day  of  the  Lord  come. 

*  Chandler's  Dissertation,  annexed  to  his  Commentary  on  Joel,  j).  123. 


24  ACTS.  (li.  14—24. 

It  is  the  observation  of  Sir  Isaac  Newton,  in  explaining  the  pro- 
phetic language,  that  the  sun's  being  darkened,  the  moon's  being 
turned  into  blood,  and  the  falling  of  stars,  are  put  for  the  ceasing 
of  a  kingdom  or  dissolution  thereof.  Agreeably  to  this  observa- 
tion, we  find,  that  when  the  destruction  of  Babylon  is  threatened, 
it  is  thus  expressed  ;  The  stars  of  the  heaven,  and  the  constella- 
tions thereof,  shall  not  give  their  light:  the  sun  shall  be  darkened 
in  his  going  forth,  and  the  moon  shall  not  cause  her  light  to  shine. 
I  will  shake  the  heavens.  Sec*  In  terms  very  similar  to  these 
has  Jesus,  in  the  gospel  of  Matthew,  foretold  the  destruction  of  the 
Jewish  state,  "  Immediately  after  the  tribulation  of  those  days," 
say  he,  "shall  the  sun  be  darkened,  and  the  moon  shall  not  give 
her  light,  and  the  stars  shall  fall  from  heaven,  and  the  powers  of  the 
heavens  shall  be  shaken.''  After  two  such  examples,  I  conceive 
there  will  be  found  little  difficulty  in  supposing,  that  this  language 
of  the  prophet  Joel  was  intended  to  express  the  total  overthrow  of 
the  civil  and  ecclesiastical  polity  of  the  Jews.  If  we  examine  the 
several  parts  of  this  prophecy  separately,  and  suppose  that  one 
phrase  was  intended  to  express  one  thing,  and  another  phrase  an- 
other, we  shall  be  misled.  The  whole  is  to  be  taken  together,  and 
regarded  as  a  highly  figurative  prediction  of  a  great  approaching 
national  calamity. 

21.  And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  whoso- 
ever shall  call  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord  shall  be 
saved. 

They  shall  be  delivered  from  those  calamities,  to  which  the  rest 
of  the  Jews  shall  be  exposed.  To  call  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord, 
is  a  phrase  describing  a  religious  person,  and  the  meaning  is,  that 
the  worshipper  of  God,  according  to  the  gospel  of  his  Son,  shall 
escape.  Accordingly  we  find  from  Eusebius,  that  the  Christians, 
in  consequence  of  a  particular  revelation,  or,  more  probably,  of 
the  warnings  already  given  them  by  Christ,  escaped  from  Jerusa- 
lem, when  they  saw  it  about  to  be  besieged,  and  hereby  saved 
themselves  from  the  calamities  which  fell  upon  that  devoted  city. 
Peter,  having  shown  that  a  plentiful  eflusion  of  miraculous  gifts 
had  been  foretold,  proceeds  to  show  how  they  came  to  be  bestowed 
upon  them  in  particular. 

22.  Yemen  of  Israel,  hear  these  words;  Jesus 
of  Nazareth,  a  man  approved  of  God  among  jou, 
"  Jesus  of  Nazareth  proved  unto  you  to  be  a  inanfrom 
God,^^  by  miracles,  wonders,  and  signs,  which  God 
did  by  him,  in  the  midst  of  you,  as  ye  yourselves  also 
know  : 

In  these  words  you  may  observe,  that  he  speaks  of  Nazareth 
as  the  native  place  of  Jesus,  and  gives  him  no  higher  title  than 
that  of  a  man  from  God,  or  one  who  had  a  divine  mission,  and 
was  proved  to  be  so  authorized  by  tho  miracles  which  he 
wrought. 

*  Isaiah  xiii.  10,  13. 


ii.  14—24.)  ACTS.  25 

23.  Him,  beino;  delivered  bv  the  determinate 
counsel  and  fore-knowledge  of  God,  }e  have  taken, 
and  by  wicked  hands  have  crucified*  and  slain  ; 

It  was  an  aggravation  of  the  sufferings  of  Clirist,  that  he  was 
put  to  death  by  those  enemies  of  the  nation  and  of  true  religion, 
the  Romans,  who,  in  the  language  of  the  Jews,  were  called  sinners 
or  ungodly  men.  God  however  was  justified  in  permitting  such 
an  event  ;  for  it  was  foreseen  by  him,  and  allowed  to  take  place 
for  wise  and  important  ends. 

24.  Whom  God  hath  raised  up,  having  loosed  the 
pains  of  death,  "  the  bonds  of  the  grave  ;" 

This  is  a  quotation  from  the  Psalms,  in  the  Greek  version,  which 
was  commonly  in  use  in  Judaea  at  this  time  ;  but  the  Hebrew  word 
signifies  either  bonds  or  pains,  and  the  authors  of  that  version  pre- 
ferred the  latter.t 

Because  it  was  not  possible  that  he  should  be  holden 
of  it. 

There  was  no  natural  impossibility  in  the  case,  but  it  was  im- 
possible, because  God  had  foretold  that  he  should  be  raised  from 
the  dead,  as  Peter  proceeds  to  show  in  the  next  verse. 


REFLECTIONS. 

1.  The  prophecy  of  Joel,  as  fulfilled  under  the  Christian  dis- 
pensation, affords  an  illustrious  proof  of  the  liberal  and  impartial 
goodness  of  the  great  Father  of  mankind.  For  he  not  only  be- 
stows miraculous  powers  in  a  great  variety  of  forms,  in  giits  of 
tongues,  by  enabling  persons  who  had  never  learnt  foreign  lan- 
guages, to  speak  them  fluently,  in  powers  of  healing,  in  foretelling 
future  events,  in  the  communication  of  knowledge  of  persons  or 
things,  by  dreams,  by  visions,  and  in  a  variety  of  other  ways,  which 
it  is  impossible  for  us  at  the  present  day,  perhaps,  exactly  to  as- 
certain, yet  such  as  appeared  to  his  wisdom  best  adapted  to  the 
purposes  of  divine  revelation  ;  but  also  confers  them  on  all  classes 
of  persons,  on  the  young  as  well  as  the  old  ;  the  poor  as  well  as 
the  rich  ;  not  excepting  men-servants,  and  women-servants,  who 
were,  at  that  time  much  more  degraded  than  at  present,  being 
slaves,  the  absolute  property  of  their  masters.  How  great  is  the 
condescension  of  the  Almight}',  in  noticing  these  outcasts  of  human 
society  :  how  highly  are  they  exalted  by  these  testimonies  of  his 
regard!  Slaves  are  raised  to  the  dignity  of  prophets,  and  of  in- 
spired messengers  of  the  divine  will  to  mankind. 

*  Mr.  WakeSeld  translates,  "  when  ye  had  mocked,"  reading  rpoT«/^cw7£c- 
t  Pearce. 


26  ACTS.  (il.  14—24. 

Let  Christians,  then,  of  the  meanest  condition  rejoice.  The 
disgrace  of  that  condition  is  removed  ;  for  God  lias  honoured  per- 
sons in  it  willi  the  gift  of  miraculous  powers  ;  hereby  assuring 
them,  that  they  are  as  much  the  objects  of  his  regard,  as  the  rich 
and  great;  and  that,  if  they  take  the  same  pains  to  serve  and  })lcasc 
him,  according  to  the  advantages  which  they  possess,  they  shall 
have  the  same  share  in  his  favour,  both  now  and  for  ever. 

Let  those  who  are  distinguished  by  wealth  or  honours,  learn 
hence,  not  to  despise  their  poorer  brethren,  but  draw  from  this 
important  event  the  inference  suggested  by  the  apostle  Paul,  that 
in  Christ  Jesus  there  is  neither  Jew  nor  Gentile,  neither  bond  nor 
free,  male  nor  female  ;  that  these  distinctions  are  overlooked,  that 
all  are  upon  a  footing  of  equality,  and  the  meanest  and  weakest 
treated  with  the  same  degree  of  respect  and  affection  as  the 
greatest. 

2.  We  see  that  the  faith  of  those  who  believe  Jesus  to  be  a 
human  being  is  established  on  a  scriptural  foundation  :  for  it  cor- 
responds with  the  language  of  an  apostle,  who  calls  him  a  man 
from  God,  after  his  resurrection  and  ascension,  and  after  that 
apostle  had  received  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  would  have  learnt  to  cor- 
rect any  mistakes  respecting  the  person  of  Christ  into  which  he 
might  be  supposed  to  have  fallen.  The  crime  which  he  imputes 
to  the  Jews,  is  not,  that  they  had  put  to  death  an  angel  or  super- 
angelic  being  in  human  shape,  much  less  the  Creator  of  the  world  ; 
but  a  man  from  God,  or  a  divine  messenger,  proved  to  be  so  by  a 
great  variety  of  miracles.  Had  their  guilt  been  attended  with  that 
higher  aggravation,  no  doubt  Peter  would  have  mentioned  it  at  this 
time,  wlien  he  was  endeavouring  to  impress  them  with  the  heinous- 
ness  of  their  crime,  as  a  ground  for  apprehending  the  approach  of 
divine  vengeance,  and  a  motive  for  immediate  repentance.  Let 
no  one,  therefore,  be  ashamed  of  this  faith,  or  afraid  to  avow  it  in 
the  most  public  manner  ;  nor  let  any  one  presume  to  reproach 
him  who  does  so,  with  degrading  his  JNIaster.  lie  follows  the  ex- 
ample of  inspired  teachers,  and  the  best  friends  of  Jesus,  who, 
when  they  speak  in  plain  terms,  devoid  of  metaphor,  always  rep- 
resent him  as  a  man. 

3.  We  learn  hence,  what  strong  evidence  we  have  for  the  resur- 
rection of  Jesus.  Not  more  that  six  weeks  after  the  event,  in  the 
very  place  where  he  had  been  put  to  death,  in  the  presence  of  many 
persons  who  had  been  witnesses  of  the  fact,  (if  their  hands  had  not 
actually  been  stained  with  his  blood,)  Peter  boldly  asserts  his  re- 
surrection, and  declares  that  he  and  eleven  other  persons  were  wit- 
nesses to  it,  without  any  one  venturing  to  contradict  or  oppose 
him.  What  better  foundation  can  we  have  for  our  faith,  than  the 
testimony  of  friends  and  the  silence  of  enemies  ? 


Peter  proceeds  to  show  that  other  prophecies  were  likewise 
fulfilled  in  the  history  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  besides  that  of  Joel, 
and  particularly  in  his  resurrection  from  the  dead. 

25.     For  David    speaketh  concerning  him  ;  I  fore- 


ii.  25—36.)  ACTS.  27 

saw,  ''Isaw,^^*  the  Lord  always  before  my  face  ; 
for  he  is  on  my  right  hand,  that  I  should  not  be 
moved  : 

If  these  words  be  regarded  as  the  language  of  David,  applied  to 
himself,  they  may  mearTthat,  although  banislicd  to  a  foreign  land  by 
Saul,  his  inveterate  enemy  and  persecutor,  and  in  great  trouble,  yet 
having  always  made  it  his  object  to  please  God,  he  should  still 
maintain  his  confidence  in  him,  and  hope  to  be  rescued  irom  dan- 
ger, and  to  be  preserved  for  the  great  object  of  his  wishes,  the  suc- 
cession to  the  throne.  But  considering  David  as  personatmg 
Christ,  as  the  apostle  does,  they  may  signify  that,  seeing  the  pre- 
sence and  favour  of  God  would  be  with  him  at  all  times,  he  would 
have  no  reason  to  despair  of  the  divine  aid  in  the  most  unpromis- 
ing circumstances,  even  when  reduced  to  the  grave. 

26.  Therefore  did  my  heart  rejoice,  and  my 
tongue  w^as  glad  :  moreover  also  my  flesh  shall  rest 
in  hope  : 

27.  Besause  thou  wilt  not  leave  my  soul  in  hell, 
"  my  life  in  the  gmve,^^  neither  wilt  thou  suffer  thy 
Holy  One  to  see  corruption. 

"  Thou  wilt  not  leave  my  life  in  the  grave."  The  word  we 
translate  soul,  signifies  life  also.  Thus  in  the  injunction  prohibit- 
ing murder,  it  is  said,  at  every  man's  brother  will  I  require  the  life 
of  man  ;  in  the  original,  it  is  the  sow/ of  man.  And  the  ransom  of 
life  is  the  ransom  of  the  soul.t  Also  the  word  which  we  translate 
hell,  signifies  more  propprly  the  mansions  of  the  dead,  or  any  place 
under  the  surface  of  the  globe,  whether  that  surface  be  land  or 
water,  and  consequently  the  grave.t  Indeed,  I  believe  this  was 
the  original  signification  of  the  English  word,  hell,  a  covered  place, 
although  it  be  now  used  universally  to  express  the  place  of  punish- 
ment for  the  wicked.  It  ought  not,  therefore,  to  have  been  used 
on  the  present  occasion,  where  it  gives  countenance  to  the  gross 
mistake  which  some  have  fallen  into,  that  the  soul  of  Christ  at  death 
descended  into  the  place  of  the  damned. 

"  Neither  wilt  thou  suffer  thine  holy  one  to  see  corruption. 
In  the  Hebrew  it  is  holy  ones,  the  plural  number  being  used  instead 
of  the  singular.  In  many  copies,  however,  the  Hebrew  corresponds 
with  the  Greek  ;  and  Dr.  Kennicot  thinks  they  all  did  so  original- 
ly, but  were  afterwards  intentionally  corrupted,  in  order  to  destroy 
the  force  of  the  prophecy.^  However  this  may  be,  the  phrase, 
holy  one,  is  of  the  same  import  as  saint,  which  frequently  has  no 
reference  to  moral  character,  but  merely  to  being  in  a  covenant  or 
privileged  state.  So  all  Israelites  are  called  saints  or  holy  ones. 
If  this  phrase  was  intended  for  Christ,  it  denotes  the  purity  and  ex- 
cellence of  his  character.  To  see  corruption,  is  the  same  thing  as 
being  corrupted  or  perishing,  as  to  see  death,  is  to  die. 

"  My  flesh  shall  rest  in  hope."      Flesh  does  not  seem  here  to  be 

*  Pearce.  t  Taylor's  Concordance.  i  Ibid.  §  Diss.  i.  p.  49G. 


28  ACTS.  (ii.  25— 3G. 

put  for  the  botlv,  in  opposition  to  the  mind  ;  but  for  tlio  life,  as 
it  is  aftorwards  explained,  or  for  the  whole  man.  Thus,  all  flesh 
sii^nities  not  all  liuni;in  bodies,  but  all  mankind,  or  beinjjs  consist- 
ing of  botii  principles.  If  these  words,  then,  are  capable  of  any 
application  to  David,  they  express  his  stron'j^  confidence  in  God, 
that,  notwithstanding  the  dangers  wliich  now  surround  him  from  his 
enemies,  he  should  not  be  su(fered  to  die,  nor  left  to  perish  in  the 
grave:  but  should  still  live,  to  experience  the  goodness  of  God  in 
general,  and  particularly  in  bestowing  upon  him  the  crown  of  Israel. 
Considered  as  the  words  of  Christ,  they  express  his  persuasion  that, 
althougli  brought  to  the  grave,  he  siiould  be  raised  thence  to  life, 
without  remaining  there  long  enough  to  be  corrupted,  and  the  joy 
and  gratitude  which  he  felt  in  the  prospect  of  such  an  event. 

28.  Thou  hast  made  known  to  me  the  ways  of 
life  :  thou  shalt  make  me  full  of  joy  with  thy  counte- 
nance. 

"  Thou  hast  made  known  to  me  the  ways  of  life."  This,  if 
applied  to  David,  must  mean  that  God  had  instructed  him  liow 
to  preserve  his  life,  and  to  avoid  the  snares  of  death.  Consider- 
ed as  the  words  of  Christ,  they  mean,  Thou  hast  made  me  ac- 
quainted with  the  way  of  returning  to  life,  by  raising  me  from 
( the  dead. 

"  Thou  shall  make  me  full  of  joy  with  thy  countenance."  In 
the  sixteenth  Psalm  the  words  are,  "  In  thy  presence  is  fullness 
of  joy  ;  at  thy  right  iiand  there  are  pleasurcjs  for  evermore."  The 
words  of  Peter,  however,  express  nearly  the  same  meaning,  the  joy 
to  be  derived  from  the  countenance  or  presence  of  God. 

In  the  case  of  David,  this  joy  must  be  the  pleasure  to  be  derived 
from  approaching  God  in  the  tabernacle,  in  wliich  the  king  of  Isra- 
el seems  to  have  placed  the  chief  delight  of  his  life.  In  regard  to 
Christ,  it  is  the  pleasure  arising  from  a  sense  of  the  divine  presence 
and  favour,  after  he  disappeared  from  the  world. 

There  are  other  variations  from  the  original  in  this  quotation, 
besides  those  above-mentioned,  which  I  have  not  noticed,  because 
they  appear  to  be  immaterial. 

29.  Brethren,  I  may  freely  speak  unto  you  of  the 
patriarch  David,  that  he  is  botii  dead  and  buried,  and 
his  sepulchre  is  with  us  unto  this  day. 

30.  Therefore  being  a  prophet,  and  knowing  that 
God  had  sworn  with  an  oath  to  him,  to  set  up  of  the 
fruit  of  his  loins  upon   his  throne  ; 

31.  He,  seeing  this  before,  spake  of  the  resurrec- 
tion of  Christ,  that  his  life  was  not  left  in  the  grave, 
neither  his  flesh  did  see  corruption. 

32.  This  Jesus  God  hath  raised  up,  whereof  we 
all  are  witnesses. 


ii.  25—36.)  ACTS.  29 

I  have  left  out  the  words,  "  according  to  tlie  flesh  he  would  raise 
up  Christ,"  which  are  found  in  our  translation  of  tiie  thirtieth 
verse,  because  tliey  are  evidently  spurious,  being  omitted  in  the 
best  manuscripts  and  versions. 

"  I  may  freely  speak  unto  you  of  the  patriarch  David."  This 
kind  of  apology  was  necessary  in  addressing  Jews  on  the  subject  of 
this  patriarch,  by  whom  he  was  held  in  high  estimation,  and  who 
might  be  offended  at  any  thing  which  seemed  derogatory  from  his 
honour,  as  this  application  of  his  language  to  another  person,  and 
not  to  himself,  might  appear  to  some. 

"  That  God  had  sworn  with  an  oath."  This  oath  is  mentioned 
in  Ps.  cxxxii.  11,  and  is  referred  to  in  several  passages  of  the  his- 
torical books.  "  To  set  up  the  fruit  of  his  loins  upon  his 
throne."  This  expression  plainly  implies  that  Christ  was  to  be  a 
natural  descendant  of  David,  by  the  male  or  direct  line.  It  was 
in  that  line  that  all  genealogies  were  reckoned  among  the  Jews. 

"  He,  seeing  this  before,  spake  of  the  resurrection  of  Christ." 
It  is  plain  hence,  and  indeed  from  the  whole  of  Peter's  comment 
upon  the  language  of  this  Psalm,  that  he  considered  the  words  of 
David  as  a  direct  prophecy  of  the  resurrection  of  Christ,  and  not 
in  any  degree  applicable  to  himself.  Paul  likewise  refers  to  them 
with  the  same  view,  in  his  address  to  tlie  Jews  at  Antioch  in 
Pisidia,  recorded  in  chapter  the  thirteenth  of  this  book.  And  this 
interpretation  seems  to  have  been  admitted  as  just  in  both  cases  by 
the  Jews  ;  for  in  consequence  of  the  apostle's  reasoning  upon  this 
subject,  many  of  them  embraced  Christianity.  Yet  it  has  been  ob- 
served by  some,  of  no  small  reputation  for  sagacity,  that  in  reading 
the  Psalms,  without  any  knowledge  of  this  interpretation,  all  per- 
sons at  the  present  day  would  have  concluded  that  David  was 
speaking  of  himself  only,  and  intending  to  say,  that  God  would  not 
suffer  him  to  perish  by  the  hands  of  his  enemies,  or  at  most,  that 
if  he  should  die,  God  would  raise  him  from  the  dead,  and  admit 
him  to  a  state  of  greater  happiness  in  a  future  life.  It  has  likewse 
been  said,  that  in  the  whole  Psalm  there  is  not  a  single  expression 
whicii  David  may  not  well  be  supposed  to  have  used  concerning 
himself,  and  that  no  second  person  is  mentioned  or  alluded  to. 
What  weight  these  circumstances  ought  to  have,  in  opposition  to 
the  authorities  before  mentioned,  I  shall  leave  to  the  reader  to  de- 
termine.* 

33.  Therefore  being  by,  "  a^,"  the  right  hand  of 
God  exalted,  and  having  received  of  the  Father  the 
promise  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  he  hath  shed  forth  this 
which  ye  now  see  and  hear. 

"  Being  at  the  right  hand  of  God  exalted."  These  words  are 
not  to  be  interpreted  literally,  as  if  the  Supreme  Being  were  seated 
upon  a  visible  throne  in  the  sky,  and  had  a  right  hand  and  left, 
where  beings  are  stationed  according  to  the  degree  of  favour  which 
the}'  enjoy  ;  but,  to  be  exalted  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  is  to  be 
understood  metaphorically,  for  enjoying  the  first  place  in  his  favour 

•  Theological  Repository,  Vol.  IV.  p.  113. 


so  ACTS.  (li.  25— 3G. 

and  confulencc.  The  language  is  evidently  borrowed  from  the 
practice  of  the  courts  of  earthly  princes,  where  men  are  placed  at 
the  right  hand  or  left,  according  as  they  possess  more  or  less  of  the 
prince's  favour.  That  it  is  a  metaphorical  exaltation  which  is  here 
referred  to,  is  evident  hence,  that  the  proof,  which  is  adduced  of  his 
possessing  it,  is  not  his  being  seen  lifted  up  on  high,  but  his  shed- 
ding forth  these  extraordinary  powers. 

'J'he  gitts  of  the  Holy  Spirit  are  called  the  promise  of  the  Fath- 
er, because  they  had  been  promised  to  Jesus  by  him  ;  and  they  are 
said  to  be  shed  or  poured  out  by  Christ,  because  given  at  his  re- 
quest, and  through  his  agency. 

34.  For  David  is  not  ascended  into  the  heavens  ; 
but  he  saith  himself,  The  Lord  said  unto  my  Lord, 
Sit  thou  on  mv  right  hand, 

35.  Until  I  make  thy  foes  thj  footstool. 

Peter  now  produces  a  fresh  proof  of  Christ's  exaltation,  which  is 
borrowed  from  Ps.  ex.  1,  where  David  seems  to  be  favoured  with  a 
prospect  of  the  future  Messiah,  in  the  same  manner  as  Abraham 
saw  Christ's  day,  and  to  hear  the  language  which  God,  the  great 
Lord  of  all,  addresses  to  him,  desiring  him  to  sit  at  his  right  hand, 
in  the  place  of  chief  honour  until  he  should  bring  all  his  enemies 
to  his  ibet,  or  make  them  his  footstool  ;  that  is,  bring  them  to  a 
state  of  the  lowest  subjection.  This,  Peter  observes,  David  could 
only  have  said  by  the  gift  of  prophecy  ;  for  he  was  not  in  heaven 
to  hear  the  language,  but  was  now  lying  in  the  grave. 

36.  Therefore  let  all  the  house  of  Israel  know 
assuredly  that  God  hath  made  that  same  Jesus,  whom 
ye  have  crucified,  both  Lord  and  Christ. 

Not  Lord  of  the  whole  creation,  a  title  which  belongs  to  Jehovah 
alone,  but  the  Lord  just  spoken  of  in  the  prophecy  of  David  ;  his 
Lord  or  superior,  or  the  head  of  the  Christian  church. 


REFLECTIONS. 


1.  Let  Christians  rejoice  in  the  exaltation  of  their  Master. 
He  who  was  treated  with  contempt  and  scorn  by  the  world,  who 
was  condemned  and  crucified  as  a  malefactor,  is  raised  to  a  post  of 
the  highest  dignity  and  honour,  the  honour  of  bestowing  upon  men 
those  miraculous  powers  by  wliich  superstition,  idolatry  and  vice, 
were  to  be  overthrown  ;  and  by  which  virtue,  truth  and  righteous- 
ness were  to  be  establisiiod  in  the  world.  A  glorious  prince,  more 
honourable  than  any  who  occupied  the  throne  of  his  father  David  ! 
A  happy  triumpi),  not  obtained  by  blood  and  slaughter  and  the 
many  evils  of  war,  but  by  the  sacred  energy  of  truth  ;  the  willing 
subjection  of  the  mind  to  laws  wliich  it  approves  !  It  is  the  eman- 
cipation of  slaves  from  the  tyranny  of  vice.     Such  a  triumph  is  as 


ii.  37—47.)  ACTS.  31 

honourable  for  the  vanquished  as  for  the  victor.  Let  us  rejoice 
that  our  Master  has  obtained  the  joy  set  before  him,  the  glory  which 
he  desired,  the  only  object  worthy  of  the  ambition  of  a  truly  virtu- 
ous and  benevolent  mind,  that  of  conferring  upon  mankind  the  most 
extensive  blessings.  He  lias  now  a  name  given  him  above  every 
name  ;  he  stands  first  in  the  list  of  virtuous  characters  and  of  the 
benefactors  of  the  human  race.  And  well  does  he  deserve  this 
distinction  ;  for  although  in  the  form  of  God,  although  possessed 
of  a  power  of  working  miracles  at  pleasure  like  God,  he  re- 
strained the  exercise  of  this  power,  and  took  upon  himself  the  form 
of  a  servant,  and  became  obedient  to  death,  the  death  of  the 
cross. 

2.  After  beholding  the  exaltation  of  Jesus,  let  none  of  his  fol- 
lowers be  discouraged  from  persevering  in  the  path  of  virtue. 
Whatever  difficulties  you  have  to  contend  with,  you  will  one  day 
surmount;  whatever  afflictions  it  my  seem  fit  to  Divine  Providence 
that  you  should  now  endure,  they  shall  at  length  be  exchanged  for  joy. 
Never  can  your  condition  be  more  unpromising  than  that  ofyour  Mas- 
ter was.  In  his  reward  and  triumph  you  may  see  a  pledge  of  your 
own.  It  is  a  faithful  saying,  "  If  we  be  dead  with  Christ  we  shall 
live  with  him  ;  if  we  suffer  we  shall  also  reign  with  him  ;"  but  "  if 
we  deny  him  he  will  deny  us." 

3.  If  Jesus  is  made  lord  in  his  church,  let  us  be  careful  to  ren- 
der him  due  obedience  in  that  character.  Let  us  take  our  rule  of 
faith  from  his  gospel,  without  adding  thereto  or  taking  from  it.  In 
matters  of  religion  let  us  submit  to  his  authority  alone.  To  follow 
the  imaginations  of  our  minds,  or  to  receive  the  dictates  of  fellow- 
creatures,  whetlier  one  or  a  greater  number,  is  to  renounce  the  al- 
legiance which  we  owe  to  Christ,  and  to  choose  another  master. 
Such  conduct  cannot  fail  to  be  highly  offensive  to  him,  as  well  as 
injurious  to  his  religion. 


The  historian  now  proceeds  to  give  an  account  of  the  impres- 
sion made  upon  the  multitude  by  the  miracle  of  the  effusion  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  and  the  reasoning  of  Peter  upon  the  subject. 

37.  Now  when  they  heard  this,  they  were  prick- 
ed in  their  heart,  "  to  the  hearty''''  and  said  unto  Peter 
and  to  the  rest  of  the  apostles,  Men  and  brethren, 
"  brethren,^^  what  shall  we  do  ? 

How  shall  we  escape  the  calamities  which  are  coming  upon  the 
Jewish  nation,  and  repair  the  error  which  we  have  committed  in 
rejecting  and  crucifying  the  Messiah  ?  By  the  quotations  which 
Peter  made  from  Joel,  in  which  the  prophet  speaks  of  the  sun  be- 
ing turned  into  darkness,  and  the  moon  into  blood,  and  of  blood 
and  fire,  and  vapour  of  smoke  preceding  the  terrible  day  of  the 
Lord,  which  the  apostle  applied  to  the  present  occasion,  they  un- 
derstand that  great  and  uncommon  evils  were  about  to  befal  their 
country,  and  they  are  anxious  to  be  informed  in  what  manner  they 


32  ACTS.  (ii.  37—47. 

themselves  miolit  be  delivered  from  them.      This  Peter  tells  them 
in  the  next  verse. 

38.  Thoii  Peter  said  unto  them,  Repent  and  be 
baj)tizcd,  every  one  of  yon,  in  the  name  of  Jesus 
Christ,  for  the  remission  of  sins  :  and  ye  shall  receive 
the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

Tlie  repentance  to  vvhicli  Peter  here  exhorts  his  hearers,  is  not 
a  general  reformation  of  character  and  conduct,  altiiough  tlie  word 
sometimes  undoubtedly  has  that  meaning,  but  a  change  of  princi- 
])les  upon  a  particular  subject,  namely,  tiie  divine  mission  of  Jesus. 
Nor  does  the  remission  ot'sins,  here  promised  as  the  consequence 
of  repentance  and  baptism,  signify  the  removal  of  moral  guilt  in 
general,  but  merely  a  recovery  from  that  sinful  state  to  which  all 
men,  whether  Jew  or  Gentiles,  are  represented  as  being  reduced, 
so  long  as  they  are  out  of  the  Christian  covenant.  This  sense  of 
the  word  repentance  occurs  in  otlier  parts  of  the  book  of  Acts,  as 
xvii.  20.  "  But  the  times  of  this  ignorance  God  winked  at," 
where  heathen  idolatry  is  spoken  of,  "  but  now  commandeth  all 
men  every  where  to  repent  ;"  that  is,  to  abandon  their  idolatrous 
errors,  and  to  embrace  the  Christian  religion.  And  in  the  same 
manner,  xxvi.  20,  when  Paul  says  of  himself  to  Agrippa,  that  ho 
showed  first  to  them  of  Damascus,  and  at  Jerusalem,  and  then  to 
the  Gentiles,  that  they  should  repent  and  turn  to  God,  and  do 
works  meet  for  repentance,  he  means  that  they  should  forsake 
their  errors  as  Jews  or  heathens,  receive  the  Christian  religion 
which  (xod  now  oflcred  to  them,  and  walk  in  a  manner  becoming 
their  new  profession.  The  remission  of  sins  is  here  connected 
with  baptism,  in  the  same  manner  as,  in  other  pass:iges,  with  the 
blood  of  Christ  ;  not  because  the  one,  any  more  than  the  other, 
removed  the  guilt  arising  from  the  commission  of  crimes,  but  be- 
cause men  who  were  before  reckoned  sinners,  ceased  to  be  esteem- 
ed so,  upon  their  profession  of  the  Christian  religion,  or  upon 
their  entering  into  the  Ciiristian  covenant.  It  may  be  further 
observed  on  this  passage,  that  men  are  exhorted  to  be  baptized 
into  the  name  of  Christ  only  ;  which  affords  a  strong  presumption 
that  this  was  the  original  form  of  baptism  ;  and  that  the  Holy 
Spirit  is  called  a  gift,  which  imphes  that  it  was  a  power  and  not  a 
person.  The  gift  was  usually  bestowed  upon  believers  in  early 
times,  and  was  regarded  as  a  proof  of  their  being  the  covenant- 
people  of  God. 

39.     For  the    promise,  i.   e.  of  the   Holy   Spirit^ 
is    unto    you    and    to   your   children,  "  to   your   off- 
spring^'''' and  to  all  that  are  afar   off,  to  the  Jews  in 
foreign  countries,  even  as  many  as  the  Lord  our  God 
shall  call. 

By  "  afar  ofl',''  some  suppose  Peter  to  refer  to  the  (J entiles, 
who  are  so  described  by  tiie  apostle  Paul  in  his  epistle  to  the 
Ephesians,  where,  speaking  of  Gentiles  and  Jews,  he  calls  them 
those  who  were  afar  off,  and  those   who   were  nigh.     But  Peter 


ii.  37—47.)  ACTS.  33 

could  have  no  idea  of  the  communication  of  miraculous  powers  to 
the  Gentiles  at  this  time;  for  it  required  an  express  revelation 
from  God  to  instruct  him  in  that  part  of  the  Christian  dispensation, 
His  design  was  evidently  to  encourage  the  Jews  to  expect  miracu- 
lous powers  upon  the  profession  of  Christianity,  because  the 
promise  of  the  Spirit  had  been  made  to  them  and  to  their  offspring, 
in  whatever  part  of  the  world  dispersed,  to  whom  the  gospel  was 
offered.  This  was  part,  but  by  no  means  the  whole,  of  what 
Peter  said  to  them  on  the  present  occasion  ;  for  he  instructed  them 
further  in  the  Christian  religion,  and  exhorted  them,  by  embracing 
it,  to  save  themselves  from  impending  calamities. 

40.  And  with  many  other  words  did  he  testify, 
i.  e.  bear  testimony  to  the  truth  of  Christianitij^  and 
exhort,  saying,  Save  yourselves  from  this  untoward 
generation. 

It  appeared,  from  the  above  prophecies  of  Joel,  that  dreadful 
calamities  were  threatened  to  the  Jews,  and  that  the  time  for  in- 
flicting them  was  now  arrived,  because  the  miraculous  powers 
which  were  foretold  as  preceding  the  event  appeared  to  be  bestow- 
ed. The  apostle,  therefore,  exhorts  his  hearers  to  separate  them- 
selves from  their  countrymen,  by  embracing  Christianity,  and  to 
save  themselves  from  the  calamities  which  were  coming  upon 
unbelievers.  Christians,  it  seems,  were  promised  exemption  from 
the  sufferings  of  the  Jews,  and  actually  escaped  them. 

41.  Then  they  that  received  his  word  were  baptiz- 
ed, not  upon  the  spot,  but  in  some  other  place,  and  the 
same  day  there  were  added  about  three  thousand 
souls. 

That  is,  so  many  persons  were  added  to  the  number  of  one 
hundred  and  twenty  before  mentioned.  The  word  "  gladly," 
which  appears  in  our  translation,  is  omitted  in  some  of  the  best 
manuscripts  and  versions,  and  is,  therefore  probably  an  interpo- 
lation.* 

42.  And  they  continued  steadfastly  in  the  apostles' 
doctrine,  "  constantly  attended  to  the  apostles^  doctrine,'''' 
and  to  fellowship,  and  to  breaking  of  bread,  and  to 
prayers. 

The  word  we  render  fellowship  has  two  senses,  and  may  either 
signify  friendly  intercourse,  or  the  distribution  of  property,  a 
virtue  for  which  the  first  Christians  were  remarkable,  and  which 
is  noticed  below.  There  is  a  like  ambiguity  in  the  phrase,  break- 
ing of  bread,  which  may  either  signify  eating  their  common 
meals,  or  celebrating  the  Lord's  supper,  but,  as  it  accompanies 
prayers,  it  is  most   probable   that  it  refers   to  the  Lord's  supper, 

*  See  Griesbacli,  2nd  edition. 
VOL.    HI.  K 


34  ACTS.  (ii.  37—47. 

whicli  the  first  Christians  celebrated  every  Sunday,  if  not  more  fre- 
quently. 

43.  And  fear  came  upon  every  one,  and  many 
wonders  and  signs  were  done  by  the  apostles. 

The  fear  mentioned  in  the  first  clause  of  the  verse,  is  to  be  re- 
garded as  the  consequence  of  what  is  mentioned  in  the  last. 
Many  extraordinary  miracles  were  performed  by  the  apostles,  and 
therefore  all  men  were  impressed  with  awe  of  the  divine  power. 

44.  And  all  that  believed  were  together,  not  in  one 
place,  but  united  in  different  societies,  and  had  all 
things  common  ; 

45.  And  sold  their  possessions  and  goods,  and 
parted  them  to  all  men,  as  every  man  had  need. 

This  was  a  remarkable  effect  of  their  faith  in  Christ,  and  show- 
ed the  little  value  which  they  placed  upon  temporal  possessions, 
when  compared  with  the  eternal  inheritance  promised  to  them  in 
the  gospel.  Their  joy  in  the  clear  evidence  of  a  future  state  of 
happiness  for  good  men,  given  them  by  this  new  doctrine, 
was  so  great,  that  their  worldly  property  seemed  of  no  value, 
any  further  than  as  it  afforded  them  an  opportunity  of  di- 
viding it  with  their  brethren,  and  of  administering  to  the  wants  of 
those  who  were  in  distress.  This  community  of  goods  could  not 
be  the  work  of  a  day,  but  must  have  required  some  time  to  accom- 
plish it.* 

46.  And  they,  continning  daily  with  one  accord 
in  the  temple,  and  breaking  bread  from  house  to  house, 
'■'■at  home,''^  did  eat  their  meat  with  gladness  and 
singleness  of  heart,  '^  ivith  purity  of  heart. ''^ 

That  is,  with  hearts  free  from  all  ambitious,  impure,  or  selfish 
designs.  The  writer  is  describing  their  public  and  private  con- 
duct. In  regard  to  the  former,  they  frequented  the  temple,  to 
praise  God  for  his  invaluable  blessings,  and  at  home,  they  ate  their 
meat  with  joy,  and  spent  an  irreproachable  life. 

47.  Praising  God,  and  having  favour  w  ith  all  the 
people;  or,  ^^ praising  God  with  thankfulness  before 
all  the  people,'^'' 

This  seems  better  adapted  to  the  connexion  than  the  common 
translation.  This  was  their  employment  at  home,  in  the  presence 
of  their  acquaintance,  as  well  as  in  the  temple. 

*  Moshcim,  in  a  dissertation  on  this  suhjoct,  lias  endeavoured  to  siiow  that  the  ex- 
pressions used  hy  the  historian  are  not  to  he  interpreted  hterally  of  a  community  of 
pods,  but  relate  to  the  hberaliiy  of  the  iirst  Clnistians  to  leach  other,  in  giviiip  a 
large  sliare  of  their  substance  for  the  siipi)ort  of  their  necessitous  brethren.  See 
Simpson  on  Internal  Evidence,  p.  283. 


ii.  37—47.)  ACTS.  35 

And  the  Lord  added  to  the  church    daily   such   as 

should  be  saved,  ^^  such  as  were  savedy 

The  language  of  the  writer  in  the  original,  expresses  what  had 
already  taken  place.  All  men  were  saved  who  believed  in  the 
gospel  of  Christ ;  for  they  were  thereby  delivered  from  their  former 
errors,  which  exposed  them  to  the  judgments  of  God  and  to  many 
evils.  And  all  that  the  writer  means  is,  God  daily  added  new  con- 
verts to  the  number  of  the  disciples.  This  is  an  instance,  among 
many  others  which  occur  in  the  New  Testament,  of  the  term 
"  saved"  being  applied  not  to  deliverance  from  future  misery, 
about  the  probability  of  which  it  was  impossible  for  any  one  to  de- 
cide at  present;  but  to  deliverance  from  present  and  temporal  evil. 
In  this  sense  is  the  word  continually  used  in  Paul's  epistles. 


REFLECTIONS. 


1.  We  may  observe  that  the  reception  of  the  gospel  by  three 
thousand  persons,  in  one  day,  is  a  glorious  evidence  of  its  truth  and 
divine  origin.  For  the  apostle  appeals  to  the  cliaracter  of  Jesus, 
as  a  prophet  working  miracles  to  prove  his  divine  mission,  and  to 
his  resurrection  from  the  dead,  as  facts  well  known  among  them; 
and  the  appeal  is  made  very  soon  after  his  crucifixion  and  death, 
and  in  the  very  city  where  they  were  said  to  have  taken  place. 
When  persons  embrace  Christianity  upon  being  reminded  of  these 
things,  it  is  a  clear  admission  of  the  facts  ;  it  is  an  acknowledgment 
on  their  part  that  they  believed  them  to  be  true;  and  when  this  is 
done  by  so  many,  and  in  so  short  a  time,  it  shows  that  a  proof 
was  plain  and  clear,  level  to  every  understanding;  whence  this  una- 
voidable inference  follows,  that  what  produced  conviction  in  this 
manner,  among  persons  who  had  the  best  opportunity  for  examin- 
ing and  every  motive  for  inquiry,  must  be  true.  No  instatice  can 
be  produced  from  the  beginning  of  the  world  of  facts,  received  in 
these  circumstances,  proving  false.  Let  every  man  carefully  con- 
sider these  points,  and  fairly  resist  the  inference  to  which  they 
lead, if  he  can. 

2.  The  liberality  of  these  early  Christians  is  a  just  specimen 
of  the  temper  which  the  gospel  produces,  and  deserves  our  imita- 
tion. They  distributed  their  substance  to  all  that  had  need,  and 
retained  no  more  for  themselves  than  was  requisite  for  procuring 
the  necessaries  of  life.  This  was  the  natural  consequence  of  a 
high  degree  of  joy  in  the  prospect  of  a  blessing  far  more  valuable 
than  any  earthly  comfort,  and  of  gratitude  to  that  Being  who  had 
promised  to  bestow  it.  Let  us  manifest  the  same  temper ;  not, 
indeed,  by  establishing  a  community  of  goods,  which  the  experi- 
ence of  mankind  has  shown  to  be  an  encouragement  to  the  idle 
and  dissolute,  and  to  furnish  opportunities  to  the  fraudulent  for 
carrying  on  their  devices,  and  therefore  calculated  to  increase, 
rather  than  diminish,  the  miseries  of  life  ;  but  by  showing   a   be- 


36  ACTS.  (ii,  37— 4G. 

coming  indifference  to  temporal  good  things,  by  regarding  them  as 
of  comparatively  little  value,  and  employing  them  freely  in  doing 
good,  especially  in  promoting  the  great  design  of  the  gospel.  Eter- 
nal life  is  of  the  same  value  to  us  as  to  the  first  Christians,  and  the 
goodness  of  God  is  equally  great  in  bestowing  it.  Therefore, 
having  the  same  motives  for  gratitude  and  joy,  we  ought  to  mani- 
fest the  like  exertions.  This  is  the  most  substantial  and  accepta- 
ble way  of  showing  our  esteem  for  the  gospel  of  Christ.  We 
ought  not,  however,  to  omit, 

'S.  To  express  our  gratitude  to  God  in  words,  by  praising  him 
continually  for  his  goodness.  Riches  are  bestowed  only  upon  a 
few,  and  they  only  can  express  their  gratitude  by  acts  of  charity 
and  beneficence  ,  but  praise  is  an  easy  tribute,  which  may  be  of- 
fered by  every  one  who  has  a  heart  to  feel,  and  a  tongue  to  .^peak. 
It  belongs  not  exclusively  to  any  class  of  men,  but  is  incumbent 
upon  all  men  of  every  condition  ;  for  they  are  all  under  equal 
obligations. 


SECTION  IV. 

Cure  of  the  lame  man  at  the  Beautiful  gate  of  the  temple. 

Acts  iii.  1— 2G. 

1.  Now  Peter  and  John  went  up  together  into 
the  temple,  at  that  hour  of  prayer  which  is  the 
ninth  hour. 

There  were  three  hours  of  prayer  in  a  day,  nine  o'clock,  twelve, 
and  three  in  the  afternoon,  or  the  ninth  hour.  This  was  the  last 
of  them. 

2.  And  a  certain  man,  lame  from  his  mother's 
womb,  was  carried,  whom  they  placed  daily  at  the 
gate  of  the  temple  which  is  called  Beautiful,  to  ask 
alms  of  them  that  entered  into  the  temple  ; 

3.  Who,  seeing  Peter  and  John  about  to  go  into 
the  temple,  asked  an  alms. 

4.  And  Peter,  fastening  his  eyes  upon  him,  with 
John,  said,  Look  on  us. 

He  intended  hereby  to  awaken  his  attention,  and,  by  leading 
him  to  consider  who  they  were,  to  prepare  his  mind  for  the  exer- 
cise of  that  faith  in  the  divine  power  which  was  necessary  for  re- 
ceivmg  the  favour  of  a  miraculous  cure. 

5.  And  he  gave  heed  unto  them,  expecting  to  re- 
ceive something  of  them. 


iii.  I—IS.)  ACTS.  37 

He  misunderstood  their  meaning,  imagining  that  they  intended 
to  prepare  him  for  receiving  alms. 

6.  Then  said  Peter,  Silver  and  gold  have  I  none, 
but  such  as  I  have  give  I  thee.  In  the  name  of  Jesus 
Christ  of  Nazareth,  rise  up  and  walk. 

As  a  disciple  and  follower  of  Jesus,  who  is  the  Christ,  I  say  un- 
to thee,  Arise.  It  has  already  been  shown  that  to  pray  in  the  name 
of  Christ,  is  to  pray  as  his  disciples  ;  and  to  perform  a  miracle  in 
his  name,  signifies  the  same  thing.  In  each  case,  the  authority  of 
Christ  for  what  is  done  must  be  understood.  The  name  of  Christ 
is  mentioned  on  this  occasion,  not  as  a  charm  for  efiecting  a  cure, 
but  to  awaken  the  faith  of  the  lame  man,  who  had  probably  heard 
of  the  fame  of  Jesus,  and  to  point  out  the  design  of  the  miracle, 
which  was  to  confirm  his  divine  mission. 

7.  And  he  took  him  by  the  right  hand,  and  lifted 
him  up:  and  immediately  his  feet  and  ancle  bones  re- 
ceived strength. 

8.  And  he,  leaping  up,  stood,  and  walked,  and 
entered  with  them  into  the  temple,  walking  and  leap- 
ing, and  praising  God. 

It  was  perfectly  natural  for  a  man  who  had  just  recovered  the 
use  of  his  limbs,  to  try  them  in  every  way,  in  order  to  be  assured 
that  they  were  restored  to  perfect  soundness  ;  and  it  was  no  less 
natural  for  a  devout  mind  to  offer  public  thanks  to  God  for  so  great 
a  favour.  We  learn  from  this  last  action,  by  whose  power,  accord- 
ing to  the  man's  idea,  the  miracle  was  performed. 

9.  And  all  the  people  saw  him  walking,  and 
praising  God  ; 

10.  And   they    knew  that  it  was  he  which  sat  for 

alms    at  the  Beautiful  gate  of  the  temple  :  and  they 

w^ere  filled  with  wonder  and  amazement  at  that  which 

had  happened   unto  him. 

This  miracle  was  well  adapted  to  make  a  strong  impression  up- 
on the  minds  of  spectators  ;  for  the  subject  of  it  was  so  completely 
a  cripple,  as  to  be  unable  to  move,  and  to  make  it  necessary  for  him 
to  be  carried  to  his  station  ;  and  on  this  account  he  was  particu- 
larly calculated  to  excite  the  pity  of  beholders.  He  was  well 
known  to  all  those  that  frequented  the  temple,  having  been  placed 
there  daily,  many  years,  being  forty  years  old  at  this  time.  Yet 
in  an  instant  his  limbs  are  restored  to  perfect  soundness,  without 
the  application  of  any  natural  remedy.  If  such  a  miracle  had  not 
excited  amazement,  human  nature  could  not  have  been  then  what 
it  is  now. 

11.  And  as  the  lame   man   who   was  healed  held 
Peter  and  John,  all  the  pople  ran  together  unto  them, 


33  ACTS.  (iii.  1—18. 

in  the  porch,  or,  "  portico,^^  that  is  called  Solomon's, 
greatly  wondering. 

Solomon's  portico  was  a  part  of  Solomon's  temple,  left  standing 
when  the  rest  of  the  temple  was  rebuilt  by  Herod.  The  man  up- 
on whom  the  miracle  had  been  performed,  was  probably  induced 
to  lay  hold  on  Peter  and  John,  to  prevent  his  benefactors  from 
leaving  him,  when  they  showed  an  inclination  to  depart.  This 
afforded  the  multitude  an  opportunity  of  gratifying  their  curiosity, 
by  assembling  round  them.  Peter  takes  occasion  hence  to  explain 
the  cause  and  design  of  the  miracle. 

12.  And  when  Peter  saw  it,  he  answered,  "  he 
5«?V/,"  unto  the  people,  Ye  men  of  Israel,  why  marvel 
ye  at  this  ?  or  why  look  ye  so  earnestly  on  us,  as 
.though,  by  our  own  power  or  holiness,  we  had  made 
this  man  to  walk  ? 

By  the  eagerness  with  which  the  multitude  gazed  upon  him  and 
his  companion,  Peter  concluded  that  they  must  suppose,  that  the 
man  was  healed,  either  by  some  extraordinary  medical  virtue,  ex- 
isting in  themselves,  or  by  the  power  of  God,  as  a  testimony  to  the 
excellence  of  their  characters  ;  he  takes  care,  therefore,  to  unde- 
ceive them,  by  declaring  that  the  miracle  was  intended  principally 
to  do  honour  to  Christ,  whom  they  had  lately  crucified,  being 
performed  by  power  v/hich  God  had  conferred  upon  him  fur  that 
purpose. 

13.  The    God    of   Abraham,    and    of  Isaac,   and 

of  Jacob,   the    God    of  our  fathers,  hath  glorified  his 

Son,  "  his  servant,^'  Jesus,  whom  ye  delivered  up,  and 

denied  him,  "  rejected  him,^^  in  the  presence  of  Pilate, 

when  he  was  determined  to  let  him  go. 

The  word  which  is  here  rendered  "  Son,"  in  its  primitive  sense, 
signifies  a  boy,  and  as  boys  were  generally  employed  as  servants,  it 
came  in  course  of  time,  to  signify  a  servant.  In  this  sense  it  fre- 
quently occurs  in  the  New  Testament.  Thus  we  read  in  Luke, 
"  if  that  servant  say,  My  Lord  delayeth  his  coming,  and  shall  be- 
gin to  beat  the  men-servants  :"  in  the  original,  the  same  word 
which  is  used  here.  But  our  translators,  who  believed  Jesus  to  be 
God,  equal  with  the  Father,  were  shocked  at  the  idea  of  calling 
Christ  a  servant  of  God,  and  therefore  called  him  his  Son  ;  a  name 
which  he  undoubtedly  sometimes  bears,  but  which  Peter  had  no 
intention  of  giving  him  in  this  place.  A  similar  observation  may 
be  made  on  the  translation  of  the  next  verse. 

14.  But  ye  denied,  "  ye  rejected,^^  the  Holy 
One  and  the  Just,  and  desired  a  murderer  to  be  grant- 
ed unto  you  ; 

The  proper  translation  of  the  first  clause  of  the  verse  is  undoubt- 
edly the  holy  man  and  the  just  man,  in  opposition  to  the  murderer  ,* 


iif.  i— 18.)  ACTS.  39 

but  the  translators  were  not  prepared  to  follow  Peter  in  calling 
Christ  a  man,  and  therefore  have  adopted  a  phrase  which  may  im- 
ply that  Christ  was  something  more  than  human. 

15.  And  killed  the  prince  of  life,  "  the  leader  of 
life^''''  whom  God  hath  raised  from  the  dead,  whereof 
we  are  witnesses. 

When  Christ  is  called  the  leader  of  life,  there  is  an  allusion  to 
the  situation  of  an  officer  of  an  army,  who  goes  before,  or  leads  bis 
men.  In  like  manner,  Jesus  is  the  leader  of  Christians  to  eternal 
life,  being  the  first  of  the  human  race  who  rose  from  the  dead  to 
that  condition.  It  was  to  remove  the  imputation  cast  upon  the 
character  of  Jesus  by  the  Jews,  who  preferred  a  robber,  and  cruci- 
fied the  Messiah,  that  God  conferred  upon  him  the  honour  of  be- 
stowing miraculous  powers  upon  his  disciples,  and  particularly, 
that  of  enabling  one  of  them  to  produce  the  present  cure.  And 
this  is  what  Peter  refers  to,  when  he  says,  (verse  thirteenth,)  that 
the  God  of  their  fathers  had  glorified  his  servant  Jesus.  It  was  to 
Christ,  principally,  and  not  to  the  two  apostles,  that  God  meant  to 
do  honour  by  this  event.  He  next  explains  how  so  great  a  favour 
came  to  be  conferred  upon  the  man  who  was  cured  of  his  lameness  ; 
he  derived  this  benefit  from  his  faith  in  Christ. 

16.  And  by  faith  in  his  name  hath  he  given 
strength  to  this  man,  whom  ye  see  and  know  :  that 
name,  I  say,  and  that  faith  therein  hath  given  him  this 
perfect  soundness  in  the  sight  of  you  all. 

In  this  manner  may  this  verse  be  translated,  by  only  a  small 
alteration  in  the  punctuation,  which  renders  its  meaning  clear  and 
obvious  ;  whereas  it  is  very  perplexed  and  confused,  according  to 
the  common  method  of  reading.  The  apostle  asserts,  that  the 
name  of  Christ,  or  rather,  faith  in  Christ,  which  the  mention  of 
his  name  excited,  produced  this  extraordinary  cure.  This  declara- 
tion corresponds  very  well  with  the  language  of  Christ  upon  simi- 
lar occasions,  who  often  said  to  those  whom  he  cured.  Thy  faith 
hath  made  thee  whole.  It  was  only  upon  such  as  had  some  de- 
gree of  faith  in  the  divine  power,  that  God  thought  fit  to  confer 
these  favours. 

17.  And  now,  brethren,  I  wot,  "  /  know,''''  that 
through  ignorance  ye  did  it,  without  any  inten- 
tion of  fulfilling  the  divine  purpose^  as  did  also  your 
rulers. 

18.  But  those  things  which  God  before  had  show- 
ed  by  the  mouth  of  all  his  prophets,  that  Christ  should 
suffer,  he  hath  so  fulfilled. 

The  apostle  is  not  here  offering  an  apology  for  the  Jewish  peo- 
ple and  rulers,  in  their  preceding  conduct  in  rejecting  and  cruci- 
fying the  Messiah,  by  saying,  that  it  was  the  effect  of  ignorance, 


40  ACTS.  (iii.  1—18. 

and  therefore,  in  some  degree  excusable.  But  he  asserts  that  in  igno- 
rance, or  contrary  to  their  intentions,  they  had  fulfilled  the  purpose  of 
Divine  Providence,  which  had  been  foretold  by  all  the  prophets 
which  spake  of  Christ,  that  he  should  suffer  death.  In  that  event, 
therefore,  there  was  nothing  which  ought  to   give  them   offence. 


REFLECTIONS. 

1.  The  wretched  condition  of  this  cripple,  who  could  neither 
walk  nor  move,  should  teach  us  to  be  thankful  to  God  for  the  use 
of  our  limbs.  In  his  case  we  see  and  acknowledge  the  propriety 
of  his  praising  God  for  restoring  the  use  of  them,  and  should  have 
charged  him  with  the  grossest  insensibility  and  ingratitude,  if  he 
had  neglected  to  testify  a  sense  of  his  obligations  in  this  manner. 
Yet  to  a  like  charge  we  are  ourselves  liable,  if,  after  having  en- 
joyed, for  thirty  or  forty  years,  the  favour  now  first  cpnferred  upon 
him,  we  have  not  perceived  its  value,  and  acknowledged  it  in  grate- 
ful praise.  Whatever  our  past  conduct  has  been,  let  us  be  careful 
that  we  do  not  incur  the  same  reproach  in  fiiture.  Let  us  admire 
the  skill  which  framed  the  curious  limb,  which  endued  it  with  its 
various  movements,  and  which  preserves  it  in  a  sound  state  and  fit 
for  use,  notwithstanding  the  many  accidents  to  which  it  is  liable, 
and  the  constant  exercise  in  which  it  is  employed.  To  awaken 
our  gratitude,  we  need  only  consider  how  unhai)py  our  condition 
must  be,  if,  instead  of  conveying  ourselves  from  place  to  place,  we 
must  be  conveyed  by  others ;  if  we  could  not  walk  when  we 
pleased,  to  execute  the  business  of  life,  to  visit  our  friends,  or  to 
attend  the  house  of  God  :  we  need  only  look  at  those  unfortu- 
nate men  among  our  brethren  who  have  lost  a  limb,  or  cannot  use 
it  without  pain. 

2.  This  story  furnishes  us  with  a  striking  example  of  the  unas- 
suming, disinterested  conduct  of  the  apostles.  The  first  con- 
verts had  already  divided  their  substance,  and  all  things  were 
common;  and  the  apostles  of  Christ,  no  doubt,  by  their  superior 
authority,  might  have  secured  a  large  portion  of  it  to  themselves. 
But  we  have  no  reason  to  suspect  them  of  any  selfish,  interested 
views:  we  still  find  them  poor  fishermen,  without  silver  or  gold  to 
giveaway.  When  a  miracle  is  performed,  and  the  astonished 
multitude  are  disposed  to  regard  them  with  extraordinary  venera- 
tion, as  the  authors,  they  ascribe  all  the  honour  to  their  Master, 
and  assume  nothing  to  themselves.  Thus  we  discover,  that  their 
attachment  to  the  gospel,  and  their  zeal  for  propagating  it  in  the 
world,  was  a  pure,  disinterested  regard  ;  for  they  sought  not  to 
enrich  or  to  aggrandize  themselves;  and,  therefore,  in  the  highest 
degree  honourable  to  them,  and  to  the  cause  which  they  espoused. 

3.  Let  Peter's  resolution  respecting  this  man,  be  ours,  respect- 
ing all  those  who  may  be  in  like  circumstances :  such  as  I  have, 
give  I  unto  thee.  Ability  to  confer  alms  is  confined  to  a  few,  and 
may  not  be  within  our  reach.     But  there  is  a  variety  of  other  ways 


ili.  19— 2G.  ACTS.  41 

in  which  we  may  do  good  to  the  distressed.  If  we  cannot  relieve 
them  by  charitable  donations,  we  may  afford  them  assistance  or 
comfort  by  personal  services,  by  our  advice,  or  by  our  company. 
If  we  cannot  give  assistance  ourselves,  we  may  recommend  them 
to  others,  who  are  better  able  to  afford  it. 

In  whichever  of  these  ways  we  can  give  pleasure,  or  remove 
pain,  that  let  us  adopt  ;  remembering,  that  offerings  of  this  nature 
will  be  well  received;  since  every  man  is  accepted  according  to  what 
he  hath,  and  not  according  to  what  he  hath  not. 


The  apostle  Peter,  having  explained  to  the  multitude  the  design 
of  the  miracle  performed  upon  the  lame  man,  namely,  that  it  was 
intended  to  confirm  the  divine  mission  of  Jesus,  exhorts  the  Jews 
to  submit  to  his  authority,  and  to  repent  of  their  guilt  in  rejecting 
him. 

19.  Repent  ye,  therefore,  and  be  converted,  that 
your  sins  may  be  blotted  out,  when  the  times,  "  that 
the  times,''''  of  refreshing  may  come  from  the  presence 
of  the  Lord  : 

20.  And  that  he  may  send  Jesus  Christ  appointed 
for  you  ; 

21.  Whom  the  heaven  must  receive,  until  the 
times  of  the  completion  of  all  things,  which  God  hath 
spoken  by  the  mouth  of  all  his  holy  prophets  [from 
the  beginning*.] 

The  repentance,  to  which  Peter  here  exhorts  the  Jews,  did  not 
relate  to  their  ill  conduct  in  general,  but  only  in  one  particular  in- 
stance, the  rejection  of  the  Messiah.  In  respect  to  this  subject,  he 
exhorts  them  to  change  their  mind,  in  consequence  of 
what  he  had  said  of  the  miracle  just  performed,  and  to  embrace 
the  Christian  faith.  As  an  encouragement  to  do  so,  he  as- 
sures them,  that  their  sins  would  be  blotted  out  ;  that  is,  that 
they  would  be  taken  from  that  unholy  and  dangerous  state  in 
which  they  lay, as  unbelievers,  into  one  that  was  safe  and  holy.  The 
consequence  would  likewise  be,  that  the  times  of  refreshing  would 
come  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord.  These  times  of  refreshing 
are  supposed  to  refer  to  the  ease  and  prosperity  which  the  Jewish 
converts  to  Christianity  would  enjoy,  when  the  persecution  of  their 
countrymen  ceased,  upon  the  destruction  of  the  Jewish  state  and 
government.  Another  advantage  to  be  derived  from  their  conver- 
sion was,  that  Christ,  who  was  fore-ordained  for  this  purpose,  would 
be  sent.  The  coming  of  Christ  is  frequently  used  in  the  New 
Testament,  to  express,  not  a  personal  appearance,  but  any  remark- 
able display  of  divine  power  in   his  favour,  by  the  accomplishment 

*  The  words  a-r"  aja-vsj  are  marked  by  Griesbach  as  probably  spurious. 
VOL.  III.  F 


42  ACTS.  (iii.  10—26. 

of  his  predictions,  or  the  success  of  his  gospel.  Thus  the  destruc- 
tion of  Jerusalem  is  called  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  man  :  and  in 
the  same,  or  a  like  sense,  the  apostle  might  intend  to  speak,  when 
he  says,  tliat  he  would  be  sent.  lie  says,  further,  that  the  heaven 
must  receive  him  ;  by  which  we  are  to  understand  not  any  local 
situation,  in  which  he  is  to  continue,  the  sky,  or  the  presence  of 
God,  but  a  state  of  dignity  and  power,  which,  in  metaphorical 
language,  is  being  in  heaven.  In  this  state  he  will  continue  until 
the  times  of  the  ri^stitution,  or  ratiicr  to  the  times  of  the  completion, 
of  all  things  which  have  been  predicted  concerning  him  by  any  of 
the  prophets;  or  until  he  has  subdued  all  the  enemies  of  his 
gospel.  This  corresponds  with  the  language  of  Paul,  who,  speak- 
ing of  Christ,  1  Cor.  xv.  25,  says,  that  he  must  reign,  till  he  has 
put  all  enemies  under  his  feet.     Sec  also  Heb.  x.  12,  13.* 

22.  For  Moses  truly  said  unto  the  fathers,  A 
pr()j)het  shall  the  Lord  your  Cod  raise  unto  you  of 
your  brctlircn,  like  unto  mc,  "  as  he  raised  me;''''  him 
shall  ye  hear  in  all  things  whatsoever  he  shall  say 
unto  you. 

23.  And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  every  soul 
which  will  not  hear  that  prophet,  shall  be  destroyed 
from  among  the  people. 

Peter  having  in  the  preceding  verses  mentioned  the  testimony 
borne  to  the  character  of  Jesus,  as  a  divine  teacher,  by  tne  mira- 
cle just  performed,  and  called  upon  them  to  receive  him  as  the 
Messiah,  reminds  his  countrymen  of  the  prophecy  delivered  of  old 
by  Moses,  in  which  he  foretold  a  succession  of  prophets,  which 
God  would  raise  up  among  the  children  of  Israel,  and  at  the  same 
time,  of  the  severe  punishment  threatened  to  those  who  should 
disregard  their  messages,  which  he  applies  to  the  present  occasion. 
The  words  of  Moses  may  seem  to  refer  to  one  prophet  in  particu- 
lar ;  and  it  may  be  thought,  from  what  follows  here,  that  they  were 
so  understood  by  Peter,  and  applied  by  him  solely  to  the  Messiah  ; 
but  the  connexion  in  which  they  first  occur  in  the  book  of  Deuter- 
onomy, plainly  shows  that  a  succession  of  prophets  was  intended, 
and  that  a  prophet  is  spoken  of  as  a  representative  of  a  series  of 
prophets.  The  apostle's  argument,  liowever,  is  by  no  means  in- 
jured by  this  supposition;  for  the  regard  due  to  all  the  prophets  is 
equally  requisite  to  every  individual.  When  Peter  says  that  those 
who  refused  to  listen  to  the  prophet  which  God  should  raise  up, 
should  be  cut  off  from  among  the  people,  he  delivers  the  sense, 
rather  than  the  words  of  the  prophecy  ;  for  his  language  does  not 
correspond  with  either  the  Hebrew  or  Greek  copies  of  the  Old 
Testament. 

24.  Yea,  and  all  the  prophets,  from   Samuel,   and 

•  Le  Clerc,  and  Eniesli's  Dissert,  qiioled  liy  Roseiimuller. 


iii.  19—26.)  ACTS.  43 

as  many  as  follow  after  as  have  spoken,  have  foretold 
of  these  days. 

Samuel  is  the  only  prophet  after  Moses,  of  whom  any  writings, 
bearing  his  name,  are  come  down  to  us,  and  in  them  there  is  a 
prophecy  of  the  Messiah,  2  Sam.  vii.  12,  &c.  This  was  delivered 
by  Nathan  to  David  ;  yet  being  in  the  hooks  which  bear  the  name 
of  Samuel,  it  is  attributed  to  him.  When  it  is  said  that  all  suc- 
ceeding prophets  foretel  the  days  of  Christ,  we  are  not  to  e.xpect 
to  find  it  true  of  every  individual  of  them  ;  it  is  enough  to  justify 
Peter's  expression  if  the  majority  of  them  did  so. 

25.  Ye  are  the  children  of  the  prophets,  or,  as 
some  conjecture,  by  ci  slight  alteration,  "  of  these 
prophecies.^''*  and  of  the  covenant  which  God  made 
with  our  fathers,  saying  unto  Abraham,  And  in  thy 
seed  shall  all  the  kindreds  of  the  earth  be  blessed. 

He  calls  them  the  children  of  these  prophecies,  if  we  take  this 
reading,  and  of  this  covenant,  because  they  are  the  descendants  of 
those  to  whom  they  were  delivered,  and  therefore,  entitled  to  the 
privileges  which  they  granted,  which  he  now  calls  upon  them  to 
accept. 

The  meaning  of  the  promise  made  to  Abraham,  In  thy  seed  shall 
all  the  kindreds  of  the  earth  be  blessed,  is,  that  all  men  would 
pray  for  a  blessing  for  those  to  whom  they  wished  well,  by  saying, 
May  God  make  thee  as  numerous,  prosperous,  and  distinguished 
by  divine  favours,  as  the  seed  of  Abraham  ;  and  the  language  is 
well  illustrated  by  what  Jacob  says  to  the  two  sons  of  Joseph,  In 
thee  shall  Israel  bless,  saying,  God  make  thee  as  Ephraim  and  as 
Manasseh.  The  principal  of  these  favours  to  the  seed  of  Abra- 
ham was,  causing  the  Messiah  to  be  born  from  among  them,  and 
sending  him  to  instruct  them,  in  preference  to  other  nations,  as  is 
explained  in  the  words  that  follow. t 

26.  Unto  you    first,    God,    having  raised   up   his 

servant,  Jesus,  raised  him  up  as  a  prophet,  sent  him 

to  bless  you,t  in  turning  away  every  one  of  you  from 

his  iniquities. 

This  was  the  benevolent  design  of  the  Divine  Being  in  the 
mission  of  Jesus  ;  but  the  folly  and  perverseness  of  the  Jews 
defeated,  in  a  great  measure,  his  purpose. 

*  Wakefield,  Bowyer. 

t  Le  Clerc,  and  Theological  Repository,  Vol,  IV.  p.  361. 

X  Peter  uses  the  word  ivMyvvIa  in  the  sense  of  communicating  benefits,  and  not 
praying  for  them. 


44  ACTS.  (iil.  19— 2G. 


REFLECTIONS. 

1.  The  faith  of  so  many  Jews  in  a  miraculous  cure,  is  a  deci- 
sive testimony  in  favour  of  the  divine  authority  of  those  by  whom 
it  was  performed.  That  so  many  thousand  persons,  of  all  ages 
and  descriptions,  in  full  possession  of  their  senses,  should  have 
been  deceived  in  a  case  so  plain,  where  they  had  been  eye-witnesses 
of  the  past  and  ])resent  condition  of  the  man  who  was  said  to  be 
relieved,  and  when  many  of  them  must  have  seen  the  chancje  actu- 
ally take  place,  is  impossible.  And  it  is  also  impossible  that  the 
person  who  performed  such  a  miracle,  as  a  proof  of  a  commission 
to  be  a  divine  teacher,  should  not  be  what  he  professes  that  he  is. 
For  miracles  are  the  works  of  God  alone  ;  it  is  he  only  who  can 
change  the  course  of  nature,  which  himself  has  established ;  and 
we  may  be  assured  that  he  v.  ill  never  suspend  his  operations  in 
support  of  a  falsehood.  V/hoever,  therefore,  receives  the  sanction 
of  miracles  to  his  testimony,  is  supported  by  the  authority  of  the 
Deity.  In  that  light  let  us  regard  these  men,  and  bow  to  their 
decisions  on  all  subjects  to  which  their  commission  extended. 

2.  Let  us  rejoice  to  hear,  from  such  authority,  that  Christ  shall 
be  in  heaven,  that  is,  his  religion  in  a  state  of  power,  until  the 
completion  of  all  things  which  have  been  foretold.  For  a  time  it 
may  lie  buried  under  a  mass  of  superstitious  practices  and  corrupt 
doctrines;  but  it  shall  spring  again,  with  fresh  vigour,  from  the 
root  which  is  left  alive,  and  again  become  a  great  tree,  so  that 
the  birds  of  the  air  may  lodge  in  the  branches  thereof  Amongst 
all  the  revolutions  in  the  world,  the  name  of  Jesus  shall  be  held  in 
estimation,  and  his  religion  prevail,  and  the  time  at  length  come, 
when,  the  corruptions  unhappily  incorporated  with  it  being  remov- 
ed, the  princes  and  powers  of  this  world  who  supported  them  being 
overthrown,  it  shall  triumph  over  all  opposition,  and  accomplish  all 
the  predicted  purposes  of  divine  goodness.  In  the  most  gloomy 
periods,  when  many  reject  and  many  corrupt  the  Christian  doctrine, 
let  Christians  support  their  minds  with  these  prospects.  There  is 
no  cause  for  despondency,  while  we  have  such  promises. 

3.  Let  the  subject  of  the  apostles'  preaching,  a  resurrection 
from  the  dead,  be  the  leading  topic  of  discourse  amongst  all 
Christian  instructors.  No  doctrine  is  better  calculated  to  awaken 
the  fears  of  the  guilty,  or  to  encourage  the  endeavours,  and  to 
promote  the  comfort  of  the  virtuous.  It  is  the  distinguishing 
doctrine  and  principal  glory  of  the  Christian  system  ,  it  is  what 
the  ignorant  heathen  knew  nothing  of;  what  the  Jews,  although 
they  believed  it,  could  derive  from  no  just  authority,  and  what 
can   never  be  proved  from  the  light  of  reason. 


iv.  1—22.)  ACTS.  45 


SECTION  V. 

The  apostles  are  imprisoned  and  brought  before  the  Sanhedrim, 
and  dismissed  with  an  injunction  of  silence. 

Acts  iv.  1 — 22. 

1.  And  as  they  spake  unto  the  people,  the  priests, 
and  the  captain  of  the  temple,  and  the  Sadducees 
came  upon  them  ; 

The  priests,  who  attended  in  great  numbers,  to  perform  the 
service  of  the  temple,  were  arranged  into  different  divisions,  accord- 
ing to  the  object  for  which  they  were  designed,  over  which  a 
president  or  officer  was  appointed,  who  was  called  the  captain  of 
the  temple.* 

The  pretext  for  the  interference  of  this  officer  and  the  other 
persons  here  mentioned,  was,  no  doubt,  that  the  apostles  created  a 
disturbance,  by  assembling  such  a  multitude ;  but  they  were 
secretly  influenced  by  another  motive. 

2.  Being  grieved  that  they  taught  the  people,  and 
preached  through  Jesus  the  resurrection  from  the  dead. 

The  Sadducees  disbelieved  this  doctrine  ;  and  although  it  might 
be  an  article  of  faith  with  the  rest,  yet  they  were  displeased  to  find 
that  it  was  supposed  to  receive  fresh  sanction  and  authority  from 
the  resurrection  and  instructions  of  Jesus,  a  man  whom  they  had  late- 
ly crucified  as  a  malefactor.  We  learn  from  this  passage  what  it  was 
that  the  apostles  regarded  as  the  primary  and  distinguishing  doc- 
trine of  the  Christian  system  ;  it  was  a  resurrection  from  the  dead  j 
for  it  was  this  which  they  first  preached  to  the  people. 

3.  And  they  laid  hands  on  them,  and  put  them 
in  hold  unto  the  next  day ;  for  it  was  now   even-tide. 

4.  Howbeit,  ^^  Nevertheless,^^  many  of  them  which 

heard  the  word,  Peter'' s  discourse  just  recited,  believed  ; 

and  the  number  of  the  men  was  about  five   thousand. 

This  number  of  converts  was  added  on  this  occasion  to  those 
before  mentioned,  making  in  all  the  number  of  eight  thousand. 
So  rapid  was  the  success  of  the  gospel ! 

5.  And  it  came  to  pass  on  the  morrow,  that  their 
rulers,  and  elders,  and  scribes, 

6.  And  Annas  the  highpriest,   and   Caiaphas,  and 

*  Lardner,  Vol.  I.  p.  106.  Harvvood  (Liberal  Translation)  thinks  that  he  was 
captain  of  a  band  of  soldiers  that  guai-ded  the  temple. 


4C  ACTS.  (iv.  1—22. 

John,  and  Alexander,  and  as  many  as  were  of  the 
kindred  of  the  high-priest,  were  gathered  together  at 
Jerusalem. 

This  is  a  description  of  the  highest  court  of  Justice  among  the 
Jews,  usually  called  the  Sanhedrim,  consisting  of  seventy  or 
seventy-two  members,  who  wore  probably  chosen  from  among  the 
priests,  the  magistrates  of  inferior  courts,  here  called  rulers,  the 
elders  of  the  tribes,  and  also  from  among  the  scribes,  or  those 
persons  whose  profession  it  was  to  transcribe  or  correct  copies  of 
the  law.  This  council  sat  in  the  form  of  a  circle,  the  president 
being  on  the  side,  and  the  prisoner  placed  in  the  middle. 

There  has  been  difficulty  in  accounting  for  Annas  being  here 
called  high-priest,  when  the  evangelists  Matthew  and  'John  inform 
us  that  Caiaphas  possessed  that  office  at  this  time,  and  Luke  him- 
self, the  writer  of  this  history,  tells  us  that  Annas  and  Caiaphas 
were  both  high-priests  in  the  year  when  the  word  of  God  came  to 
John  the  Baptist.  To  reconcile  these  seemingly  discordant 
accounts,  it  has  been  supposed  that  Annas,  having  once  been  high- 
priest,  although  at  present  deposed  from  his  office  by  the  Romans, 
still  retained  the  name,  and  was  probably  thought  by  many  of  the 
Jews  to  be  still  entitled  to  the  office.*  The  reason  why  he  alone 
is  called  high-priest  on  this  occasion  may  be,  that  he  was  the 
president  of  the  Sanhedrim. 

7.  And  when  they  had  set  them,  the  two  apostles 
and  the  man,  in  the  midst,  they  asked.  By  what 
power,  or  in  what  name,  have  ye  done  this  ? 

By  what  powers  of  medicine  have  ye  performed  this  cure,  if  it 
be  a  natural  one;  or  in  whose  name,  if  it  be  miraculous?  By 
these  questions,  they  hoped  either  to  cast  discredit  on  the  miracle, 
or  to  discover  some  ground  of  accusation  against  them. 

3.  Then  Peter  filled  with  the  Holy  Spirit,  said 
unto  them,  Ye  rulers  of  the  people  and  elders  of 
Israel, 

9.  If  we  this  day  be  examined  of  the  good  state 
of  the  infirm  man,  by  what  means  he  is  healed, 

10.  Be  it  known  unto  you  all,  and  to  all  the 
people  of  Israel,  that  by  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  of 
Nazareth,  whom  ye  crucified,  whom  God  raised  from 
the  dead,  even  by  him  doth  this  man  stand  before  you 
healed. 

"  Filled  with  the  Holy  Spirit."  By  this  phrase  we  are  to  under- 
stand, not  that  Peter  was  aided  by  any  extraordinary  inspiration 
upon  the  present  occasion ;  for  there   is  nothing   in   his  speech 

*  Pcarce  and  Lardner. 


iv.  1—22.)  ACTS.  47 

which  might  not  naturally  be  suggested  by  the  circumstances  of 
the  case,  and  for  which,  tlierefore,  divine  aid  could  be  wanted; 
but  that,  being  conscious  to  himself  of  possessing  extraordinary 
miraculous  powers,  manifested  by  the  late  event,  and  especially  by 
the  gift  of  tongues,  he  acquired  thence  an  extraordinary  degree  of 
courage,  to  assert  in  the  presence  of  the  council  what  he  then 
declared ;  namely,  that  Jesus  Christ,  whom  they  had  crucified, 
was  the  author  of  the  miracle  about  which  they  were  inquiring  ; 
that  God  had  raised  him  from  the  dead,  and  that,  therefore,  they 
were  guilty  of  a  great  crime  in  putting  him  to  death.  Nothing 
but  the  fullest  persuasion  that  he  was  countenanced  by  divine  au- 
thority could  have  enabled  him  to  hold  this  language,  in  such  a 
situation. 

Jesus  is  here  and  elsewhere  called  Jesus  of  Nazareth ;  a  strong 
presumption  that  that  town  was  the  place  of  his  nativity,  and  not 
Bethlehem,  as  some  accounts  would  lead  us  to  suppose.  For  as  it 
appears,  from  John  vii.  42,  that  the  Jews  expected  their  Christ  to 
come  from  Bethlehem,  had  he  really  been  born  there,  no  doubt 
can  be  entertained  that  his  disciples  would  have  named  him  after 
that  place,  Jesus  of  Bethlehem,  in  order  to  remove  the  objections 
of  the  Jews,  and  to  give  greater  credibility  to  his  claims. 

11.  This  is  the  stone  which  was  set  at  nought  of 
you  builders,  which  is  become  the  head  of  the  corner. 

A  stone  at  the  head  of  the  corner  connects  and  binds  together 
the  whole  building,  and,  therefore,  occupies  the  most  important 
and  conspicuous  place  in  it.  To  such  an  exalted  situation  does 
Peter  say  that  Jesus  is  now  raised,  in  the  structure  which  God  is 
erecting;  being  the  head  of  the  Christian  church,  and  superior  to 
all  former  prophets  and  messengers.  The  evidence  of  this  exal- 
tation is  his  being  raised  from  the  dead  ;  an  honour  conferred  on 
no  preceding  prophet,  and  his  enabling  his  followers  to  perform 
such  extraordinary  miracles  as  the  present.  This  language  is 
taken  from  Ps.  cxviii.  22,  and  is  used  by  David  respecting  himself, 
whose  exaltation  to  the  throne  of  Israel  had  been  opposed  by  the 
rulers  of  that  nation  ;  but  is  applied,  by  way  of  accommodation, 
both  by  Jesus  and  his  apostles,  to  the  Messiah. 

12.  Neither  is  there  restoration  to  soundness  in 
anv  other :  for  there  is  no  other  name  under  heaven 
given  among  men,  whereby  we  may  be  saved. 

To  be  saved,  in  the  New  Testament,  frequently  signifies  the 
same  thing  as  to  be  cured.  Thus  Christ  says  more  than  once  to 
persons  upon  whom  he  had  performed  miraculous  cures,  Thy  faith 
hath  saved  thee.  When  Peter,  therefore,  says  here  that  there  is  salva- 
tion in  no  other  name  than  that  of  Jesus,  he  means  that  miraculous 
cures,  or  deliverance  from  bodily  maladies,  can  be  accomplished  by 
no  authority  but  his.  This  sense  of  the  passage  connects  extremely 
well  with  the  preceding  circumstances,  which  cannot  be  said  of 
the  common  interpretation,  which  supposes  an  eternal  and  not  a 
temporal  deliverance  to  be  here  spoken  of;  for  Peter,  being  asked 


43  ACTS.  (iv.  1—22. 

in  what  name  the  cure  had  been  performed,  replies,  In  the  name  of 
Jesus;  and  adds,  that  such  cures  can  be  perlbrnied  in  no  other 
name. 

13.  Now  when  they    saw  the   freedom  of  speech 

of  Peter  and    John,  and    discovered   that   they   were 

unlearned    and   comnion   men,    they  wondered ;    and 

they  recollected  that  they  had  been  with  Jesus. 

The  common  translation  of  this  verse  is  particularly  unhappy, 
because  it  represenis  the  apostles  as  ignorant  men,  a  character 
which  they  did  not  deserve,  and  which  the  council  did  not  mean  to 
give  them;  for  they  probably  had  as  much,  if  not  more,  knowledge 
of  religion  and  the  Scriptures  than  most  other  men  of  their  sta- 
tion in  life.  That  they  had  some  pretensions  to  knowledge, 
appears  from  their  works,  one  of  them  having  written  a  history  of 
Christ,  and  the  other,  two  epistles,  preserved  to  the  present  day. 
All  that  the  words  of  the  original  imply  is,  that  they  were  unlearn- 
ed and  common  persons,  in  opposition  to  the  council,  which  was 
composed  of  men  of  learning  and  high  rank.  The  behaviour  of 
such  persons,  when  brought  before  their  superiors,  especially  in  a 
court  of  justice,  is  commonly  timid  and  embarrassed  ;  but  the 
two  apostles,  conscious  of  being  supported  by  divine  power,  spoke 
with  a  freedom  which  could  not  be  expected  from  their  station,  and 
excited  the  astonishment  of  their  hearers,  who  knew  not  whence 
it  proceeded.  That  some  of  the  members  of  the  Sanhedrim 
should  recollect  having  seen  them  with  Jesus,  is  what  might  be 
expected:  since  they  themselves  used  occasionally  to  attend  upon 
his  ministry,  and  we  are  expressly  told  that  John  was  known  to 
the  high-priest,  at  the  time  when  he  followed  Jesus  to  his  trial. 

14.  And  beholding  the  man  which  was  cured 
standing  with  them,  they  could  say  nothing  against  it, 
^^  against  them.''^ 

It  was  in  vain  to  deny  the  reality  of  the  miracle ;  for  the  man 
himself,  upon  whom  it  was  performed,  appeared  before  them,  and 
was  probably  well  known  to  them  all. 

15.  But  when  they  had  commanded  tliem  to  go 
aside  out  of  th{;  council,  they  conferred  among  them- 
selves, 

16.  Saying,  What  shall  we  do  to  these  men  ?  for 
that  indeed  a  notable,  "  an  umloubtecW''  miracle  hath 
])een  done  by  them  is  manifest  to  all  them  that  dwell 
at  Jerusalem,  and  we  cannot  deny  it : 

17.  But  that  it,  i.  e.  this  matter,  spread  no  further 
among  the  people,  let  us  strictly  threaten  them,  that 
they  speak  hencefoith  to  no  man  in  this  name, 
"  about  this  name,^^  i.  e,  about  Jesus. 


W.  1—22.)  ACTS.  49 

They  imagined  that  a  prohibition  from  so  respectable  a  body  of 
men  as  the  Jewish  Sanhedrim,  accompanied  with  a  threatening  of 
severe  punislitnent,  in  case  of  disobedience,  would  effectually  deter 
the  apostles  from  saying  any  thing  respecting  Jesus  and  his  resur- 
rection. But  they  found  that  they  had  to  do  with  men  who  consid- 
ered themselves  as  under  the  direction  of  higher  authority,  and 
who  would  not  encourage  them,  for  so  much  as  a  moment,  to  hope 
that  they  would  submit  to  their  injunctions. 

18.  And  they  called  them,  and  con^.tnanded  them 
not  to  speak  at  all,  nor  teach  about  the  name  of  Jesus. 

They  required  them  henceforth  to  be  totally  silent,  both  in 
public  and  private,  respecting  the  character   and  doctrine  of  Jesus. 

19.  But  Peter  and  John  answered,  and  said  unto 
them,  Whether  it  be  right  in  the  sight  of  God  to 
hearken  unto  you  more  than  unto  God,  judge  ye. 

We  appeal  to  your  own  judgment,  whether  it  be  consistent  with 
piety  towards  God  to  obey  man  rather  than  God.  If  not,  you 
deliver  to  us  injunctions  which  you  yourselves  must  acknowledge 
that  we  cannot,  as  faithful  servants  of  the  Divine  Being,  comply 
with.  This  language  strongly  implies  that  they  had  the  authority 
and  command  of  God,  for  teaching  the  people  about  the  name  of 
Jesus  ;  and  the  same  thing  is  as  strongly  implied  in  the  next  verse. 

20.  For  we  cannot  but  speak  the  things  which  we 
have  seen  and  heard. 

Your  own  judgment,  we  conceive,  will  acquit  us  of  doing  wrong 
in  disobeying  your  orders;  but,  whether  it  do  so  or  not,  we  cannot 
decline  to  publish  what  we  have  seen  and  heard  on  this  subject, 
when  enjoined  by  such  high  authority.  This  reply  contained  a 
very  plain  intimation  that  they  were  resolved  not  to  comply  with 
the  prohibition  which  had  been  given  them;  but  the  council  were 
afraid  to  punish  their  disobedience,  and  contented  themselves  with 
renewing  their  threatenings,  and  dismissing  them. 

21.  So,  when  they  had  further  threatened  them, 
they  let  them  go,  finding  nothing,  or,  '^  not  finding,'''^ 
how  they  might  punish  them,    because  of  the  people  : 

They  could  devise  no  method  of  punishing  them,  which  would 
not  give  offence  to  the  people,  who  saw  no  fault  in  their  conduct, 
but,  on  the  contrary,  were  highly  pleased  with  it,  considering  them 
as  having  performed  a  great  and  beneficent  miracle. 

For  all  men  glorified  God   for  that  which  was  done. 

Although  the  apostles,  who  appeared  to  perform  the  miracle, 
had  attributed  it  to  Christ,  yet  the  people  rightly  judged  that  the 
power  for  this  purpose,  must  have  been  originally  derived  from 
God,  and  that  to  him  the  praise  was  due. 

VOL.  III.  G 


60  ACTS.  {W.  1—22. 

22.     For  tho  man  was  above  forty  years  old  on 
whom  this  miracle  of  healinji  was  showed. 

His  age  rendered  his  lameness  notorious,  and  the  reality  of  the 
miracle  unquestionable. 


REFLECTIONS. 

1.  This  story  may  teach  us  what  advantage  the  truth  derives 
from  inquiry  and  discussion.  The  authenticity  of  the  account 
rested  at  first  upon  the  testimony  of  friends  alone,  upon  the  evi- 
dence of  persons,  wlio,  having  seen  tlie  man  before  and  after  his 
cure,  were  satisfied  that  a  miracle  had  been  performed,  and  were 
thereby  induced  to  embrace  the  Christian  religion:  but,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  officious  zeal  of  some  who  were  desirous  of  dis- 
crediting the  account,  we  have  now  the  testimony  of  enemies 
as  well  as  of  friends  in  its  favour.  The  whole  Jewish  Sanhedrim, 
composed  of  the  ablest  and  most  learned  men  in  the  nation,  are 
obliged,  after  the  strictest  examination,  to  acknowledge  the  fact, 
and  dismiss  the  apostles  with  a  command  to  suppress  it.  To  evi- 
dence thus  supported,  nothing  can  be  opposed :  when  persons  of 
such  different  interests  and  views  acknowledge  the  same  thing,  it 
must  be  true.  Let  no  one,  then,  be  alarmed  at  any  severe  investi- 
gation which  the  evidences  and  doctrines  of  Christianity  are  like- 
ly to  undergo,  either  from  friends  or  foes.  For  the  inquiries  of  its 
friends  can  do  it  no  harm,  and  the  attacks  of  its  foes  will  only 
serve  to  establish  it  on  firmer  ground. 

2.  The  courage  of  the  apostles  in  defence  of  the  gospel  of 
Christ,  is  highly  commendable,  and  worthy  of  imitation.  They 
hesitate  not  to  attribute  a  miracle,  about  which  they  are  question- 
ed, to  one  who  had  been  crucified  as  a  malefactor ;  they  scruple 
not  to  speak  of  him  as  a  divine  prophet,  and  the  great  Messiah, 
before  the  highest  court  of  justice  in  the  kingdom,  and  to  accuse 
that  court  of  the  foulest  crime  in  putting  to  death  this  divine  mes- 
senger. When  prohibited  from*  speaking  of  him  in  private  or 
public  any  more,  they  declare  that  piety  to  God  forbids  their 
compliance  with  the  injunction.  How  manly  and  noble  is  this 
conduct!  How  becoming  the  disciples  of  Jesus,  and  the  messen- 
gers of  the  Most  High;  and  how  happily  calculated  to  inspire 
others  with  the  like  resolution  !  Surely  it  must  shake  the  confidence 
of  their  opponents,  and  awaken  their  inquiries  to  discover  what 
could  give  ordinary  persons  so  much  courage,  and  lead  many  of 
them  to  the  acknowledgment  of  the  truth.  It  is  to  men,  who 
like  them  professor  defend  the  truth,  undaunted  by  authority,  un- 
terrified  by  danger,  at  the  hazard  of  their  liberty  and  lives,  that 
we  are  indebted  for  that  degree  of  light  and  knowledge  which  we 
now  possess ,  and  without  their  ser\  ices  we  must  have  remained, 
like  our  ancestors,  in  the  darkness  of  popish  superstition  or  pagan 
idolatry.  Ye  noble  army  of  apostles,  cont'essors,  and  martyrs,  ye 
are  the  benefactors  and  saviours  of  mankind!       We    will    revere 


iv.  23—37.)  ACTS.  51 

your  memories,  and  holflyour  actions  in  everlasting  remembrance, 
and   pray   to  God  to  inspire  us  with  a  portion  of  your  spirit. 

3.  Tlie  courage  of  Peter,  in  particular,  on  this  occasion,  affords 
a  strong  presumptive  argument  in  favour  of  the  truth  of  the 
gospel-history.  Peter,  who  was  once  terrified  at  the  voice  of  a 
servant-maid  calling  him  a  disciple  of  Jesus,  and  disowned  any 
relation  to  him  three  times  in  the  space  of  an  hour,  confirming 
his  declarations  with  oaths  and  curses ;  this  same  Peter,  a  few 
weeks  afterwards,  has  acquired  courage  to  make  a  voluntary  con- 
fession of  his  relation  to  his  Master  before  the  Jewish  Sanhedrim, 
and  can  listen  undismayed  to  their  threats  of  punishment.  What 
can  have  produced  so  wonderful  a  change  1  If  he  once  manifested 
more  than  ordinary  timidity,  what  has  now  given  him  a  degree  of 
courage  above  his  station  ?  Allow  the  truth  of  the  facts  mention- 
ed in  the  preceding  part  of  the  history,  that  his  Master,  having 
been  crucified,  rose  from  the  dead,  and  that  he  himself  received 
extraordinary  miraculous  powers  in  his  name,  and  his  conduct  will 
appear  consistent  and  natural  :  the  change  has  an  adequate 
cause  ;  but  without  such  a  cause,  it  is  inexplicable. 

4.  Let  us  ever  keep  in  remembrance  that  Jesus  Christ  is  rais- 
ed to  the  head  of  the  corner.  All  the  angels  of  God,  that  is,  all  the 
messengers  and  prophets  of  God  sent  to  the  human  race,  are  com- 
manded to  worship  him,  that  is,  to  pay  him  homage,  as  possessing 
superior  rank  and  authority  to  themselves.  The  like  respect  let 
us  also  show  him,  by  admitting  no  rites  or  ceremonies  into  Chris- 
tian worship,  which  he  has  not  commanded  or  authorized,  whether 
of  Jewish  or  pagan  origin,  of  earlier  or  later  date.  What  he  has 
enjoined  let  us  observe,  though  kings  and  magistrates,  councils, 
synods,  and  parliaments  may  condemn  it ;  knowing  that  Christ 
alone  is  head  of  the  Christian  church,  and  that  the  allegiance 
which  we  owe  to  him  requires  us  to  oppose  all  rival  claims. 


SECTION  VI. 

The  apostles  returning  from  the  council,  pray  for  support  in 
preaching  the  gospel,  and  are  ansivered  hy  an  effusion  of  the 
Holy  Spirit. 

Acts  iv.  23—37. 

23.  And  being  let  go,   they  went    to  their  own 

company,  "  to  their  oivn  friends,^''  and  reported  all  that 

the  chief  priests  and  elders  had  said  unto  them. 

Under  these  terms  the  Jewish  Sanhedrim  is  described,   because 
it  consisted  principally  of  such  persons. 

24.  And  when  they  heaid  that  they  lifted  up  their 


£3  ACTS.  (iv.  23—37. 

voice  to  God  with  one  accord,  and  said  Lord,  or, 
■'  Sovcreiiiii  Lord,''''  thou  art  God,  which  hast  made 
heaven  and  earth,  and  the  sea,  and  all  that  in  them  is  ; 

This  verse,  which  is  descriptive  of  the  divine  power,  is  a  very 
proper  introduction  to  a  petition  for  tlie  extension  of"  miracu- 
lous o-ifis,  whicli  shortly  succeeds,  and  should  be  connected  in  our 
minds  with  the  tliirtieth  verse,  in  which  the  disciples  pray  that  God 
would  stretch  forth  his  hand  to  heal,  and  that  signs  and  wonders 
might  be  done  in  the  name  of  his  holy  servant  Jesus.  For  there 
can  be  no  doubt  that  the  Being  who  created  the  heavens  and  the 
earth,  that  is,  who  established  the  course  of  nature,  can  change  it 
for  these  purposes  whenever  he  pleases. 

25.  Wiio,  by  the  mouth  of  thy  servant  David, 
has  said,  Wiiy  did  the  heathen  rage,  and  the  people 
imagine  vain  things  ? 

26.  The  kings  of  the  earth  stood  up,  and  the 
rulers  were  gathered  together,  against  the  Lord  and 
against  his  Christ,  "  against  his  anointed.''^ 

These  words  are  taken  exactly  from  the  Septuagint  translation 
of  the  second  Psalm,  which  some  persons  consider  as  applicable  to 
David,  by  whom  it  was  composed,  since  he  was  God's  anointed, 
having  been  designed  for  the  throne  of  Israel,  by  Samuel,  by 
pouring  out  oil  in  a  solemn  manner  upon  his  head  ;  and  several  of 
the  neighbouring  nations,  the  Philistines,  Moabites,  Ammonites, 
and  others,  attempted  to  disturb  the  peace  of  his  kingdom,  and  to 
destroy  his  authority,  although  without  success.  This  language 
they  therefore  regard  as  a  poetical  remonstrance  with  them  on  the 
ueaknes  and  folly  of  their  attempt.  By  the  apostles  and  first 
christians,  however,  the  Psalm  seems  to  have  been  regarded  as  a 
prophecy  of  the  Messiah  ;  and  these  verses  in  particular  are  con- 
sidered as  referring  to  the  opposition  which  he  would  meet  with 
from  the  Jews  and  Ronian  people,  and  especially  from  their 
governors. 

27.  For,  of  a  truth,  against  thy  holy  child,  "  ilnj 
holy  servant,''''  Jesus  whom  thou  hast  anointed,  both 
Herod  and  Pontius  Pilate,  with  the  Gentiles  and  the 
people  of  Israel,  were  gathered  together  in  this  city  :* 

28.  For  to  do  whatsoever  thy  hand  and  thy  counsel 
determined  before  to  be  done. 

The  Jewish  kincfs  were  appointed  to  their  office  by  having  oil 
poured  out  upon  their  heads,  and  were  from  this  circumstance 
called  the  anointed,  and  the  Lord's  anointed.  As  Jesus  of 
Nazareth  was  designed  in  the  divine  counsels,  to  be  a  most  distin- 
guished prince,  although  only  in  a  spiritual  kingdom,  he  was  called 

*  Ev  TH  T«,\«  recuTM-     Griesbach. 


iv.  23—37.)  ACTS.  53 

the  Messiah,  or  the  anointed,  by  way  of  eminence,  although  he 
never  underwent  the  ceremony  before-mentioned.  This  appella- 
tion, 3lc^siah,  is  translated  by  the  word  Christ  into  Greek. 
Against  this  prince  appointed  by  God  to  his  office,  Herod  and  Pilate, 
and  the  Jews,  we  are  here  told,  conspired  to  deprive  him  of  his 
dignity  ;  but  their  conspiracy  proved  ineffectual,  as  had  been  fore- 
told ;  for  they  only  inflicted  upon  him  those  calamities  and  suffer- 
ings which  God  had  before  determined  to  permit,  for  the  purpose  of 
more  effectually  exalting  him  to  the  high  office  for  which  lie  was 
designed. 

29.  And  now,  Lord,  behold  their  threatenings,  and 
grant  unto  thy  servants,  that  with  all  boldness,  ^^  with 
all  freedom  of  speech,''''  they  may  speak  thy  word  ; 

30.  By  stretching  forth  thy  hand  to  heal  :  and 
that  signs  and  wonders  may  be  done  by  the  name  of 
thy  holy  servant  Jesus. 

It  seems  as  if  some  of  the  disciples  had  been  alarmed  at  the 
threats  of  the  Jewish  council,  and  feeling  some  doubts  about  their 
own  courage  to  preach  the  gospel  in  the  face  of  such  danger,  had 
prayed  to  God  to  have  it  strengthened,  by  being  enabled  to  perform 
such  cures  as  that  Avhich  had  been  just  wrought  upon  the  lame 
man,  and  to  work  other  wonders.  Hence,  it  appears  probable, 
that  although  aU  the  disciples  had  the  gift  of  tongues,  and  the 
apostles,  John  and  Peter,  the  power  of  healing  diseases,  the  rest 
were  not  assured,  that  the  same  power  would  be  commuuicated  to 
them.  Without  this  assistance,  they  were  apprehensive  that  their 
resolution  would  fail ;  but  so  aided,  they  were  convinced  that  they 
should  be  able  to  face  all  their  adversaries.  To  confirm  their 
expectations,  and  remove  their  fears,  God  was  pleased  to  favour 
them  with  a  sign,  which  is  mentioned  in  the  following  verse.  In 
the  twenty-seventh  and  thirtieth  verses,  Christ  is  called,  by  our 
translators,  God's  holy  child  ;  but  the  proper  translation  is,  undoubt- 
edly, that  which  has  been  given,  thy  holy  servant,  as  appears  from 
the  twenty-fifth  verse,  where  they  themselves  have  so  rendered  the 
word,  calling  David  God's  servant,  although  the  same  term  be  used 
in  the  original  in  that,  as  in  other  places. 

31.  And  when  they  had  prayed,  the  place  was 
shaken  where  they  were  assembled  together. 

This  supernatural  earthquake  seems  to  have  been  intended  as 
a  signal,  to  announce  the  approach  of  the  Deity,  for  the  communi- 
cation of  miraculous  powers,  just  as  the  noise  of  the  mighty  rush- 
ing wind,  and  the  cloven  tongues  of  fire,  preceded  the  gift  of 
tongues,  on  the  day  of  Pentecost.  In  the  present  instance,  how- 
ever, there  was  no  visible  appearance  ;  nor  does  it  seem  that  any 
other  miraculous  effect  immediately  followed.  What  we  are  told 
about  their  being  all  filled  with  the  Holy  Spirit,  I  regard  as  refer- 
ring rather  to  powers  which  afterwards  appeared,  than  to  any 
sensible  change  which   took   place   immediately.      They   might, 


54  ACTS.  (iv.  23—37. 

indeed,  be  naturally  supposed  to  be  communicated  at  this  moment. 
What  the  disciples  i)raycd  for  was  a  miraculous  power  to  heal  and  to 
perform  other  wonders  as  the  means  of  establishing  their  faith  in 
the  gospel.  When  they  found  themselves  possessed  of  these 
powers,  by  exercising  them,  and  not  before,  they  acquired  the  con- 
fidence which  they  wished  for.  Their  boldness  was  not  itself 
supernatural  but  founded  upon  reflection,  and  sprang  from  a  con- 
sciousness of  possessing  extraordinary  faculties,  which  were  plain 
marks  of  the  approbation  and  patronage  of  Heaven. 

And  they  were  all  filled  the  Holy  Spirit,  and 
delivered  the  word  of  God  with  freedom  of  speech. 

32.  And  the  multitude  of  them  that  believed,  that 
is,  the  Jive  thousand,  were  of  one  heart  and  one  soul, 
were  of  one  and  the  same  spirit,  and  loved  each  other 
as  themselves,  neither  regarded  any  of  them  the  things 
which  he  possessed  as  his  own,  but  they  had  all  things 
common. 

This  strong,  mutual  affection  was  the  natural  result  of  enter- 
taining the  same  sentiments,  of  a  common  feeling  of  gratitude  to 
God  for  this  high  favour,  and  perhaps,  most  of  all,  of  observing 
that  all  were  partakers  of  the  same  miraculous  gifts,  and  therefore 
alike  the  ol)jects  of  divine  regard.  The  voluntary  division  of 
properly  arose  from  this  affection,  and  in  part,  probably,  from  that 
new  plan  of  life  which  now  opened  upon  them,  and  to  which  they 
intended  to  devote  themselves  in  future ;  that  of  preaching  the 
gospel.  This  was  henceforth  to  become  their  great  object,  and 
not  the  accumulation  of  wealth.  In  these  instances  they  acted 
like  the  former  converts,  of  whom  we  have  an  account  in  the 
second  chapter. 

33.  And  with  great  power  gave  the  apostles  wit- 
ness of  the  resurrection  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 

They  gave  testimony  to  his  resurrection,  not  only  by  words, 
but  likewise  by  miracles  performed  in  his  name,  and  by  powers 
derived  professedly  from  him,  and  which  were  therefore  a  proof 
that  he  was  alive;  for  God  cannot  give  evidence  in  support  of  a 
falsehood. 

And  great  grace  was  upon  them  all,  or,  "  great  fa- 
vour ivas  towards  them,  all.^^ 

The  extraordinary  powers  which  they  appeared  to  possess,  the 
beneficent  cures  which  they  wrought,  and  their  liberality  to  each 
other,  raised  the  disciples  very  high  in  the  estimation  of  many, 
■who  had  not  yet  embraced  their  sentiments. 

34.  Neither  was  there  any  among  them  that 
lacked  :  for  as  many  as  were    possessors  of  lands  or 


iv.  23—37.  ACTS.  55 

houses  sold  them,  and  brought  the  prices  of  the  things 
that  were  sold, 

35.  And  laid  them  down  at  the  apostles'  feet : 
and  distribution  was  made  unto  every  man  according 
as  he  had  need. 

The  choice  which  Jesus  had  made  of  these  twelve  persons  to  be 
the  companions  of  his  life,  and  the  witnesses  of  his  resurrection, 
pointed  them  out  as  fit  for  having  this  trust  committed  to  them ; 
and  they  showed  themselves  worthy  of  the  trust,  by  distributing 
to  every  one  as  he  had  need.  This  implies,  that  not  a  few  of  the 
first  proselytes  were  poor  ;  otherwise  there  would  have  been  no 
occasion  for  this  kind  of  assistance.  But  it  shows,  at  the  same 
time,  that  they  were  not  all  of  that  description,  there  being  many 
persons  of  property  among  them. 

o6.  And  Joses,  who  by  the  apostles  was  sur- 
named  Barnabas  (which  is,  being  interpreted,  the  son 
of  consolation)  a  Levite,  and  of  the  country  of 
Cyprus, 

37.  Having  land,  sold  it,  and  brought  the  money, 
and  laid  it  at  the  apostles'  feet. 

It  is  not  easy  to  say  why  Barnabas  is  more  particularly  noticed 
in  this  place,  than  another  disciple  :  whether  it  is  because  he  was 
the  first  who  set  the  example,  because  he  was  a  Levite,  and  such 
an  act  of  liberality  was  not  to  be  expected  from  him,  or  because  his 
estate  was  larger  than  any  other  disposed  of  in  this  way,  or  for  all 
these  reasons  united.  From  the  name  which  the  apostles  gave 
him,  "  Son  of  Consolation,"  it  seems  evident  that  he  bore  a  dis- 
tinguished part  in  this  charity.  The  Levites,  although  they  had  no 
land  allotted  them  as  a  tribe  in  the  division  of  Canaan,  yet  might 
purchase  individually  in  any  part  of  the  country.  His  having 
land  to  dispose  of,  therefore,  is  not  at  all  inconsistent  with  his 
character  as  a  Levite. 


REFLECTIONS. 


1.  The  pleasing  description  here  given  us  of  the  temper  and 
conduct  of  the  first  professors  of  the  gospel,  is  well  calculated  to 
strengthen  our  faith  in  its  divine  origin.  They  appear  to  be  men 
of  unfeigned  piety  ;  for  when  threatened  with  danger,  instead  of 
fleeing  from  it,  they  address  themselves  to  God  in  a  prayer,  which 
was  the  spontaneous  effusion  of  a  devout  mind.  Their  piety  too, 
is  not  enthusiastic  and  rapturous,  like  that  of  some  modern 
devotees  ;  but  it  is  perfectly  calm  and  rational.  From  the  charac- 
ter of  the  Deity,  as  the  creator  and  governor  of  the  universe,  they 


56  ACTS.  (v.  1— Gl. 

justly  infer  his  ability  to  alter  or  suspend  the  course  of  nature. 
Wlien  they  ask  for  aid  to  their  courage,  they  look  not  for  an 
answer  to  their  petitions  by  an  unaccountable  and  irresistible  im- 
pulse upon  their  minds,  but  for  a  confirmation  of  their  faith  by 
natural  and  adequate  means,  by  being  enabled  to  work  miracles. 
They  are  not  men  of  interested  characters,  who  had  worldly  emo- 
luments in  view  in  the  profession  which  they  assumed  ;  for  their 
first  acquaintance  with  Christianity  is  accompanied  with  the  sale 
of  their  lands  and  houses,  and  with  a  division  of  their  property 
among  the  poor.  Judge  now,  whether  such  men  are  likely  to 
deceive  the  world ;  whether  those  who  have  the  justest  apprehen- 
sions of  the  power  and  supremacy  of  the  Deity  would  knowingly 
assert  a  falsehood  in  his  name,  and  hereby  expose  themselves  to 
his  displeasure  ;  whether  men  of  pure  and  rational  devotion  are 
likely  to  be  filled  with  imaginary  notions  of  inspiration  ;  whether 
men  of  the  most  disinterested  and  the  warmest  benevolence  could 
be  disposed  to  propagate  a  pernicious  lie,  for  the  sake  of  gain  ;  or 
whether  the  belief  of  such  men  in  the  events  of  the  gospel  history, 
and  their  declaring  them  with  boldness  in  the  midst  of  the  strong- 
est  opposition  and  the  greatest  danger,  does  not  furnish  irresisti- 
ble evidence  of  their  truth  ? 

3.  Let  us  endeavour  to  imitate  the  temper  of  these  first  Christ- 
ians, in  esteeming  the  good  things  of  this  life  of  little  value,  when 
compared  with  spiritual  benefits.  No  sooner  are  they  acquainted 
with  the  hopes  of  the  gospel,  and  enjoy  the  honour  of  miraculous 
powers,  than  they  learn  to  regard  what  they  most  esteemed  before, 
and  made  the  great  object  of  their  pursuit,  as  perfectly  worthless, 
and  are  ready  to  distribute  it  among  such  of  their  Christian 
friends  as  had  need  of  it.  Such  also  was  the  temper  of  Paul,  who 
esteemed  all  things  but  loss  for  the  excellence  of  the  knowledge  of 
Christ  Jesus  his  lord  ;  and  such  will  be  the  temper  of  all  who  have 
imbibed  the  genuine  spirit  of  Christianity.  Let  us,  my  brethren, 
examine  ourselves  by  this  test. 


SECTION  VII. 
The  pvnisliment  of  Ananias  and  Sapphira. 

Acts  v.  1 — IG. 

1.  But  a  certain  man  named  Ananias,  with 
Sapphira  his  wife,  sold  a  possession, 

2.  And  ke|)t  back  part  of  the  price,  his  wife  also 
being  privy  to  it,  and  brought  a  certain  part,  and  laid 
it  at  the  apostles'  feet. 

By  appearing  to  dispose  of  his  property,  and  to  put  the  price 
into   the   hands  of  the  apostles,   for  the  benefit  of  the  disciples. 


V.  1—16.)  ACTS.  67 

Ananias  probably  expected  to  obtain  tiie  same  popularity  as  Barnabas 
had  acquired  by  the  same  means;  and,  as  those  who  had  parted 
with  all  they  had,  must  still  have  something  for  their  subsistence, 
he  intended  to  claim  a  share  of  the  common  fund.  This  share 
joined  to  what  he  retained,  might  make  his  circumstances  as 
good,  if  not  better,  than  they  were  before.  But  as  he  intended  to 
impose  upon  the  apostles,  men  who  possessed  miraculous  powers, 
it  was  a  high  affront  to  the  Being  by  whom  they  were  inspired; 
and  as  the  fraud,  when  discovered,  would  bring  great  reproach 
upon  the  Christian  name,  and  prove  an  essential  detriment  to  an 
infant  cause,  it  was  punished  with  great  severity. 

3.  But  Peter  said,  Ananias,  why  hath  Satan  filled 
thy  heart  to  lie  to,  "  to  deceive,^''*  the  Holy  Spirit, 
and  to  keep  back  part  of  the  price  of  the  land  ? 

4.  While  it  remained,  was  it  not  thy  own  ?  and 
after  it  was  sold,  was  it  not  in  thy  own  power  ? 

Why  hast  thou  been  guilty  of  a  falsehood  to  which  there  was 
so  little  temptation  ?  For  thy  profession  of  the  Christian  religion 
did  not  oblige  thee  to  sell  thy  land,  nor,  when  sold,  to  lay  the 
produce,  or  any  part  of  it  at  our  feet  ?  Here  he  remonstrates 
with  him  on  the  folly  of  his  conduct;  in  the  next  words,  on  the 
heinous  impiety  of  it. 

Why  hast  thou  conceived,  "  determined,''''  this  thing 
in  thy  heart  ?  Thou  hast  not  lied  unto  men,  but 
unto  God. 

That  is,  not  to  men  only,  but  to  God  also;  for  he  had  lied  to 
both  ;  to  men,  because  he  had  brought  but  a  part  of  his  property 
to  the  apostles,  when  he  professed  by  his  words,  or  his  actions, 
or  both,  to  bring  the  whole  ;  and  to  God,  because  he  was  guilty  of 
this  falsehood  before  men,  who  had  given  proofs  of  their  being 
assisted  by  divine  powers,  and  might  therefore  be  well  supposed, 
like  the  ancient  prophets,  to  be  acquainted  with  the  hearts  of  men. 
By  the  devil  and  Satan,  the  writers  of  the  New  Testament  some- 
times mean  the  persecuting  power,  as  when  it  is  said.  The  devil 
goeth  about  like  a  roaring  lion,  seeking  whom  he  may  devour;  at 
other  times,  the  supposed  author  of  all  moral  evil ;  as  when  it  is 
said,  the  devil  put  it  into  the  heart  of  Judas  to  betray  his  Master. 
In  this  sense  Satan  seems  to  be  used  in  the  present  instance, 
where  he  is  said  to  have  filled  the  heart  of  Ananias  with  the  design 
of  deceiving  the  Holy  Spirit.  Not  that  they  suppossed  that  he 
had  any  real  agency,  by  which  he  could  instigate  to  this  or  other 
crimes ;  but  it  was  the  common  language  of  the  Jews,  borrowed, 
perhaps  from  some  of  their  Eastern  neighbours;  for  what  is  said 
to  be  the  work  of  Satan,  in  one  verse,  is  said  to  be  conceived 
in  his  own  heart  in  the  next. 

*  Pearce. 
VOL.    III.  H 


68  ACTS.  (v.  1—16. 

6.  And  Ananias,  hearing  these  words,  fell  down 
and  gave  up  the  ghost,  "  expircd,^^  and  great  fear 
came  upon  all  them  that  heard  these  things. 

His  death  was  not  the  effect  of  sudden  surprise  or  violent 
remorse,  in  consequence  of  having  his  guilt  thus  detected  and 
exposed  ;  but  was  produced  by  divine  power,  as  a  punishment  for 
his  crime,  and  a  warning  to  others  of  what  they  might  expect,  if 
they  should  be  guilty  of  a  like  offence.  Such  an  event  was  well 
calculated  to  strike  all  who  heard  of  it  with  an  awe  of  the  divine 
power.  But  that  part  of  this  verse  which  speaks  of  the  impres- 
sion produced,  seems  to  be  out  of  its  place,  and  to  be  inserted 
here  by  mistake  from  the  elventh  verse,  where  it  very  properly 
closes  the  account  of  the  whole  transaction. 

6.  And  the  young  men  arose,  i.  e.  the  young 
disciples,  wound  him  up,  and  carried  him  out,  and 
buried  him. 

It  is  usual  with  the  inhabitants  of  Eastern  countries,  in  order  to 
prevent  the  infection  which  might  be  produced  in  a  hot  climate, 
to  bury  the  dead  within  twenty-four  hours  after  death ;  but  this 
man  was  not  kept  the  usual  time  ;  for  he  had  every  appearance  of 
death,  and  there  was  less  hope  of  a  recovery  in  this  than  in  other 
cases  of  sudden  death. 

7.  And  it  was  about  the  space  of  three  hours 
after,  when  his  wife,  not  knowing  what  was  done, 

cme  in, 

8.  And  Peter  said  unto  her.  Tell  me  whether  ye 
sold  the  land  for  so  much  ?  i.  e.  that  for  so  much  and 
no  more.     And  she  said,  Yea,  for  so  much. 

9.  Then  Peter  said  unto  her.  How  is  that  ye  have 

agreed  together  to  tempt,   "  to  try,''''  the  Spirit  of  the 

Lord  ?     Behold,   the   feet  of  them  which  have  buried 

thy  husband  are  at  the  door,  and  shall  carry  thee  out. 

To  tempt  the  Spirit  of  God,  or,  which  is  the  same  thing,  God 
himself,  is  to  make  an  improper  trial  of  his  power  or  knowledge, 
from  presumption  or  distrust,*  which  is  no  small  offence  in  his 
creatures.  Of  this  offence  both  Ananias  snd  Sapphira  were 
guilty,  when  they  imagined  that  they  could  impose  upon  men  who 
had  given  such  unquestionable  proofs  of  being  aided  by  the 
power  and  knowledge  of  the  Supreme  Being. 

10.  Then  fell  she  down  straightway  at  his  feet, 
and  expired.  And  the  young  men  came  in,  and  found 
her  dead,  and,  carrying  her  forth,  buried  her  by  her 
husband. 

*  Farmer  on  rinisl's  Temptation,  p.  118. 


r.  1—16.)  ACTS.  59 

11.  And  great  fear  came  upon  all  the  church,  and 
upon  as  many  as  heard  these  things. 

12.  Moreover,  they  were  all,  with  one  accord,  in 
Solomon's  porch. 

13.  And  after  this,  no  one  desired  to  meddle  with 
them  ;*  but  the  people  greatly  magnified  them. 

14.  And  believers  in  the  Lord  were  continually 
added,  multitudes  both  of  men  and  women.  And  by 
the  hands  of  the  apostles  were  many  signs  and 
wonders  wrought  among  the  people  ; 

15.  So  that  in  every  street  they  brought  forth  the 
sick,  and  laid  them  on  couches  and  beds,  that  the 
shadow  of  Peter,  as  he  passed  by,  might  fall  upon  some 
of  them.f 

-16.  There  came  also  a  multitude  out  of  the  cities 
round  about,  unto  Jerusalem,  bringing  sick  folks,  and 
them  which  were  vexed  with  unclean  spirits  ;  and 
they  were  healed,  every  one. 

It  is  evident  to  every  one  that  reads  this  passage  with  attention, 
that  there  is  a  considerable  degree  of  confusion  in  the  history, 
owing,  probably,  to  a  very  ancient  corruption  of  the  original  text 
by  the  transposition  of  sentences,  through  the  carelessness  of 
transcribers.  I  have  read  them  in  the  order  in  which  they  appear 
to  me  best  connected,  and  in  which  I  conceive  that  they  must  have 
been  written  originally  by  Luke.  In  taking  this  liberty,  I  have 
done  no  more  than  what  respect  to  the  author  seemed   to  require. 

The  persons  here  said  to  be  vexed  with  unclean  spirits,  are  the 
same  whom  we  find  so  often  mentioned  in  the  evangelists  as  possess- 
ed with  daemons,  namely,  either  insane  persons  or  epileptics. 

Solomon's  porch  or  portico,  so  called  because  built  by  him,  and 
left  standing  when  the  rest  of  the  temple  was  taken  down,  was  on 
the  eastern  side  of  that  building.  Here  the  disciples  assembled 
for  public  worship  and  instruction,  when  shut  out  of  the  temple  ; 
no  one  daring  to  prohibit  them. 


*'  So  this  passage  is  found  in  an  ancient  version,  and  it  connects  very  well  with 
what  follows  ;  being  more  intelligible  than  what  we  have  in  our  translation,  "  And  of 
the  rest  durst  no  man  join  himself  to  them."    See  Wakefield. 

t  Wakefield. 


60  ACTS.  (v.  1  —  16. 


REFLECTIONS. 

1.  This  story  affords  a  striking  picture  of  the  odious  nature 
and  the  dreadful  consequences  of  the  vice  of  lying.  It  is  a  high 
offence  both  against  God  and  man.  In  respect  to  the  latter, 
indeed,  it  possesses  different  degrees  of  malignity,  according  to  the 
objept  which  men  propose  to  themselves  by  uttering  wilful  false- 
hood :  whether  it  be  merely  to  conceal  guilt,  to  acquire  honour  or 
riches,  or  for  the  more  criminal  purpose  of  depriving  others  of  their 
property,  of  injuring  their  reputation,  or  taking  away  their  lives. 
In  the  most  favourable  instances,  it  is  a  mean,  selfish  and  perni- 
cious vice,  destroying  the  mutual  confidence  so  necessary  to  the 
well-being  of  society,  and  introducing  universal  distrust  and  con- 
fusion. In  some  cases  it  becomes  the  foulest  crime  to  be  found  in 
the  calendar  of  human  vices,  and  deserves  to  be  ranked  with 
theft,  robbery,  and  murder,  because  employed  to  effect  these 
enormities.  In  every  case  it  is  an  offence  against  God,  as  well  as 
man,  because  those  who  are  guilty  of  it  show  that  they  suppose 
that  he  is  ignorant  of  their  behaviour,  or  indifferent  about  their 
moral  character;  that  he  knows  not  their  guilt,  or  is  unable  or 
unwilling  to  punish  it;  a  presumption  highly  derogatory  from  the 
essential  attributes  of  his  nature,  and  the  purity  of  his  moral 
administration  ;  a  presumption  which  partakes  of  the  malignity  of 
perjury,  and  which  the  righteous  Governor  of  the  world  cannot 
fail  highly  to  resent. 

Let  those  who  indulge  themselves  in  this  odious  practice  assu- 
redly know  that  an  omniscient  Being  is  perfectly  acquainted  with 
all  their  secret  falsehoods,  however  artfully  disguised ;  and  that, 
although  he  may  not,  from  motives  of  wisdom  and  forbearance,  inflict 
immediate  death  upon  the  offender  as  in  the  present  instance;  yet 
he  beholds  his  conduct  with  displeasure,  and  will  one  day  visit  it 
with  severe  punishment.  All  liars  shall  have  their  portion  in  the 
lake  that  burnetii  with  fire  and  brimstone. 

To  men  of  every  age  this  narrative  furnishes  useful  instruction  ; 
but  more  particularly  to  those  who  are  in  the  early  part  of  life. 
The  temptations  to  falsehood  are  many  and  powerful ;  but,  when- 
ever tempted,  let  the  young  recollect  this  story,  and  they  cannot 
fail  to  find  in  it  strong  motives  for  maintaining  a  sacred  regard  to 
truth  in  all  circumstances. 

2.  We  are  here  furnished  with  fresh  presumptive  evidence  of 
the  truth  of  the  gospel  history.  Those  who  were  so  forward  to 
punish  falsehood  and  deceit,  must  surely  be  men  without  guile. 
How  could  Peter  have  had  the  effrontery  to  reprove  Ananias  for 
uttering  a  lie,  if  he  himself  had  been  at  the  same  time  publishing 
a  more  flagrant  lie,  in  reporting  the  resurrection  of  his  Master, 
and  in  asserting  his  own  claim  to  a  divine  commission?  How 
could  God,  the  impartial  Judge  of  all  the  earth,  punish  the 
less  offender  with  so  much  severity,  and   let  the  greater  go  free? 


V.  17—43.)  ACTS.  61 

Or  how  could  men,  with  such  dreadful  examples  before  their  eyes, 
persist  in  a  notorious  fraud  ?  To  such  questions  as  these,  let  the 
enemies  of  our  faith,  if  they  are  able,  reply. 


SECTION  VIII. 

The  apostles  being  imprisoned,  are  miraculovshj  delivered.  They 
defend  themselves  before  the  council,  and  are  dismissed  with 
scourging. 

Acts  v.  17—42. 

17.  Then  the  high-piiest  rose  up,  and  all  they 
that  were  with  him,  (which  is  the  sect  of  the  Saddu- 
cees,)  and  were  filled  with  indignation ; 

18.  And  laid  hands  on  the  apostles,  and  put  them 
in  the  common  prison. 

By  saying  that  the  high-priest  and  those  who  were  with  him, 
that  is,  the  persons  in  public  offices,  were  the  sect  of  the  Sadducees, 
the  writer  implies  that  such  persons  generally  adopted  the  tenets 
of  this  sect.  It  is  not  likely,  therefore,  that  the  opinion  commonly 
entertained  of  them  can  be  true,  namely,  that  they  rejected  all  the 
books  of  Scripture,  except  the  Pentateuch,  or  five  books  of  Moses; 
for  it  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  persons  denying  the  authority  of  so 
great  a  proportion  of  the  Scriptures,  would  be  placed  in  such  situa- 
tions. It  is  certain,  however,  that  they  denied  the  resurrection  of  the 
dead,  and  this,  probably  made  them  so  violent  in  opposing  the 
Christians,  who  maintained  that  doctrine.  They  were  not  satisfied 
now  with  apprehending  one  or  two  of  the  apostles,  but  seized  the 
whole  number,  finding  that  they  were  all  alike  active  in  preaching. 

19.  But  the  angel  of  the  Lord,  by  night,  opened 
the  prison  doors,  and  brought  them  forth,  and  said, 

20.  Go,  stand  and  speak  in  the  temple  to  the 
people  all  the  words  of  this  life,  or,  '■'all  this  doctrine 
of  life,''''*  i.  e.  the  doctrifie  of  eternal  life. 

It  was  the  opinion  of  the  Sadducess,  but  not  necessarily  untrue 
because  patronized  by  them,  that  the  angels  mentioned  in  Scrip- 
ture as  intelligent  agents,  had  no  permanent  existence,  but  were 
men  or  phantoms  created  by  God  for  the  particular  occasion  on 
which  they  appeared.  Of  this  nature,  may  have  been  the  being 
who  performed  the  present  miracle,  which  was  intended  to  give 
courage  to  the  apostles  in  preaching  the  gospel. 

*  See  the  authorities  for  ^cty^u.  m;  TatJC  in  Wakefield,,  and  Griesbach,  second  edition 


62  ACTS.  (v.  17—42. 

21.  And  when  they  heard  tliat,  they  entered  into 
the  temple  early  in  the  morning  and  taught:  but  the 
high-priest  came,  and  they  that  were  with  him,  and 
called  the  council  together,  and  all  the  senate,  "  all 
the  elders^''''  of  the  children  of  Israel,  and  sent  to  the 
prison  to  have  them  brought. 

This  was  not  an  ordinary  assembly  of  the  Sanhedrim;  for  all 
the  members  were  summoned  to  meet,  as  if  to  deliberate  upon  a 
matter  of  tlie  highest  moment.  The  high-priest  aad  his  compan- 
ions have  nothing  less  in  view  than  putting  to  death  the  whole 
company  of  the  apostles,  as  the  only  means  left  for  stopping  the 
progress  of  the  new  doctrine. 

22.  But  when  the  officers  came,  and  found  them 
not  in  the  prison,  they  returned  and  told, 

23.  Saying,  The  prison,  truly,  found  we  shut  with 

all    safety,    and    the   keepers,,  " //ie  ^^wrt/f/,"  standing 

before    the    doors  ;*    but  when  we    had   opened   we 

found  no  man  within. 

As  the  guards  could  give  no  account  of  the  prisoners,  it  is 
probable  that  they  were  all  thrown  into  a  deep  sleep,  at  the  time 
when  the  angel  opened  the  doors  and  let  them  forth.  In  a  similar 
instance,  when  Peter  was  liberated,  the  soldiers  were  put  to  death 
which  was  the  Roman  punishment  for  sleeping  upon  guard. 

24.  Now  when   the    captain    of  the    temple   i\nd 

the  chief  priests  heard  these  things,   they  doubted  of 

them  whereunto  this  would  grow,  "  they  doubted  how 

this  could  6e."t 

They  doubted  how  they  had  been  able  to  escape,  whether  it 
was  by  corrupting  tiie  guards,  by  their  falling  asleep,  or  by 
some  other  means.  The  captain  of  the  temple,  as  before  explained, 
was  the  priest  who  presided  over  all  the  different  classes  of  priests, 
employed  in  the  temple  service. 

25.  Tiien  came  one  and  told  them,  saying,  Behold, 
the  men  whom  ye  put  in  prison,  are  standing  in  the 
temple,  and  teaching  the  people. 

26.  Then  went  the  captain  with  the  officers,  and 
brought  them  without  violence,  that  is,  without  their 
being  bound ;  for  they  feared  the  people,  lest  they 
should  have  been  stoned. 

27.  And  when  they  had    brought  them,  they   set 

*  Griesbach  rejects  i^a.        t  Doddridge,  Wakefield,  and  Harwood. 


V.  17—42.)  ACTS.  03 

them   before   the  council,   and  the  high-priest  asked 
them, 

28.  Saying,  Did  not  we  straitly  command  you 
that  ye  shoidd  not  teacli  in  this  name  ?  "  about  this 
name,'^  and  behold,  ye  have  filled  Jerusalem  with  your 
doctrine,  and  intend  to  bring,  "  and  ivish  to  bring,^^ 
this  man's  blood  upon  us. 

Here  we  see  the  ground  of  the  alarm  of  the  Jewish  rulers,  and 
the  cause  of  their  animosity  against  the  apostles.  They  taught 
the  people  respecting  Jesus,  that  he  was  a  great  prophet,  and  that 
the  Jewish  rulers,  in  putting  him  to  death  by  crucifixion,  had  been 
guilty  of  a  heinous  crime ;  and  they  did  this  so  industriously  and 
indefatigably,  that  Jerusalem  was  already  filled  with  their  doctrine, 
and  the  conmion  people  in  no  small  degree  inflamed  against  their 
rulers,  as  appeared  from  their  disposition  to  commit  violence  on 
those  who  came  to  apprehend  the  apostles. 

29.  Then  Peter  and  the  other  apostles  answered 
and  said,  (he  spoke  in  the  name  of  the  rest,)  We 
ought  to  olDey  God  rather  than  men. 

30.  The  God  of  our  fathers  raised  up  Jesus, 
whom  ye  slew  and  hanged  on  a  tree,  "  by  hanging  on 
a  tree  ,*" 

31.  Him  hath  God  exalted  with  his  right  hand, 
"  at  his  right  hand,^^  to  be  a  prince  and  a  Saviour, 
for  to  give  repentance  to  Israel,  and  forgiveness, 
"  remission,''^  of  sins. 

32.  And  we  are  his  witnesses  of  these  things,  and 
so  is  also  the  Holy  Spirit,  which  God  hath  given  to 
them  that  obey  him. 

"  The  God  of  our  fathers  raised  up  Jesus.  By  the  phrase, 
"  raised  up,"  we  are  not  here  to  understand  raised  from  the  dead, 
but  honoured  with  a  divine  commission.  The  words  are  to  be 
understood  in  the  same  sense  as  when  they  occur  in  the  celebrated 
prophecy  of  Moses,  who  says,  "A  prophet  will  the  Lord  your  God 
raise  up  unto  you  of  your  brethren,  as  he  raised  me." 

"Whom  ye  slew  by  hanging  on  a  tree."  It  is  observable 
that  Peter,  although  by  no  means  disposed  to  spare  the  Jewish 
rulers,  or  afraid  of  offending  them,  never  mentioned  any  aggrava- 
tion of  their  crime,  arising  from  putting  to  death  a  great  pre- 
existent  spirit,  the  Maker  of  the  world,  or  another  God,  which  is  a 
plain  proof  that  no  such  aggravation  existed.  "  Him  hath  God 
exalted  at  his  right  hand."  These  words  do  not  refer  to  any  local 
elevation,  but  are  merely  metaphorical,  and  intended  to  signify  a 
state  of  high  favour  and  honour,  such  as  those  usually  possessed, 


64  ACTS.  (v.  17—42. 

who,  in  the  courts  of  princes,  were  placed  on  the  right  hand  of  the 
throne.  The  honour  conferred  in  the  present  instance  was  that  of 
being  a  prince  and  a  Saviour,  that  is,  the  first  or  principal  Saviour, 
to  the  chikircn  of  Israel ;  the  apostles  and  other  followers  of 
Jesus  only  holding  a  secondary  place  in  this  great  work  of 
deliverance. 

"  To  give  repentance  and  remission  of  sins."  In  this  he  was 
to  discharge  the  office  of  a  Saviour.  The  word  which  we  render 
repentance  signifies  a  change  of  mind,  and  is  here  used  for  that 
change  of  principles  which  would  take  place  in  giving  up  Jewish 
prejudices,  and  embracing  the  gospel.  The  consequence  of  this 
change  would  be  remission  of  sins ;  for  converts  to  Christianity 
among  the  Jews,  as  well  as  among  the  heathen,  were  taken  from 
an  impure  into  a  holy  and  privileged  state,  which,  in  the  language 
of  the  New  Testament,  is  expressed  by  the  remission  of  sins,  or 
the  removal  of  ceremonial  uncleanness. 

"  Of  which  things,"  i.  e.  his  exaltation,  "  wo  are  witnesses,  as 
is  also  the  Holy  Spirit."  The  apostles  had  witnessed  the  honour 
conferred  by  raising  him  from  tiie  dead,  and  the  gift  of  miraculous 
powers,  which  came  from  the  hands  of  Christ.  These  events 
were  a  proof  that  he  stood  high  in  the  favour  of  the  divine  Being. 
Hence  it  is  evident  that  the  exaltation  of  Christ  here  spoken  of 
was  not  local ;  for  of  no  such  exaltation  could  the  miraculous 
powers  conferred  upon  the  first  Christians  be  regarded  as  witnesses  ; 
although  they  may  be  considered  as  a  very  proper  testimony  to  his 
standing  high  in  the  divine  favour. 


REFLECTIONS. 

1.  We  have  here  a  fresh  testimony  to  the  notoriety  of  the  facts 
on  which  our  faith  is  built,  and  therefore  to  their  certainty.  They 
were  not  reported  in  a  foreign  country,  remote  from  the  scene  of 
action,  where  those  who  heard  them  had  no  opportunity  of  ascer- 
taining the  truth  or  falsehood  of  the  relation;  but  in  Juda?a, 
where  Jesus  was  said  to  have  lived  and  suffered  death,  and  in  Jeru- 
salem, which  had  been  the  grand  theatre  of  the  principal  events. 
They  were  not  entrusted  to  a  few  at  first,  and,  at  the  distance  of 
many  years,  divulged  to  a  greater  number;  but  they  are  published 
immediately,  while  tlie  pretended  witnesses  arc  living  and  present, 
and  propagated  with  so  much  industry,  and  with  so  little  reserve, 
that  all  Jerusalem  is  filled  with  them,  and  they  reach  the  ears  of  the 
high-priest  and  the  principal  persons  in  the  nation.  They  are 
facts,  too,  of  such  a  nature,  that  all  are  induced  to  inquire  into 
their  truth,  whether  believers  or  unbelievers;  the  former,  to  satisfy 
themselves  that  they  arc  not  suffering  persecution  for  a  fable,  and 
that  the  high  expectations  which  they  are  taught  to  entertain  are 
well-founded  ;  the  latter,  to  vindicate  themselves  from  the  imputa- 
tion of  a  foul  murder,  with  which  they  must  stand  charged,  if 
what  the  Christians  say   be   true.      Yet  in  these   circumstances, 


V.  17—42.)  ACTS.  65 

which  must  have  been  abundantly  sufficient  to  have  detected  and 
exposed  the  most  artful  imposture,  the  story  gains  increasing 
credit;  a  plain  proof  of  its  reality. 

2.  We  have  fresh  reason  to  admire  the  courage  and  intrepidity 
of  the  apostles.  Although  imprisoned  at  night,  for  teaching  the 
people  in  the  name  of  Jesus,  yet  in  the  morning,  as  soon  as  they 
are  set  at  liberty,  they  renew  their  labours,  in  the  most  public 
place,  where  they  could  not  fail  to  be  noticed.  When  apprehended 
a  second  time,  and  censured  for  their  conduct  by  the  whole  Jewish 
Sanhedrim,  the  highest  court  of  justice  in  the  nation,  they  boldly 
declare  that  they  had  acted  under  the  authority  of  God,  and  that 
it  was  necessary  that  his  instructions  should  be  obeyed,  in  opposi- 
tion to  all  human  prohibitions.  They  assert  the  divine  mission 
and  high  exaltation  of  their  Master,  before  the  very  assembly 
by  which  he  was  condemed  to  death  as  a  malefactor  ;  hereby  vir- 
tually accusing  them  of  the  grossest  injustice.  Such  was  the 
conduct  of  the  apostles,  and  it  discovered  the  highest  degree  of 
piety  and  integrity.  Let  us  learn  to  copy  so  noble  an  example  of 
courage  in  a  good  cause.  When  conscience  is  to  be  obeyed  ; 
when  religious  truth  is  to  be  professed  or  communicated  ;  when 
men  are  to  be  rescued  from  pernicious  and  dangerous  errors,  let 
the  conduct  of  the  apostles  be  ours.  Let  us  not  be  deterred  by 
the  injunctions  of  the  civil  magistrate,  by  the  laws  of  our  country, 
or  by  any  other  authority  ;  remembering  that  in  regard  to  religion, 
God  is  to  be  obeyed  rather  than  men. 


33.  When  they  heard  that,  i.  e.  the  declaration  of 

Peter,  they  were  cut  to  the  heart,  and  took  council  to 

slay  them. 

They  consulted  together  how  they  might  get  them  condemned 
by  the  governor,  and  so  put  to  death  ;  for  the  Jews  had  not  at  this 
time  the  power  of  inflicting  capital  punishment,  as  appears  from 
their  conduct  in  regard  to  Jesus. 

34.  Then  stood  there  up  one  in  the  council,  a 
Pharisee,  named  Gamaliel,  a  doctor  of  the  law,  "a 
teacher  of  the  laiv,'^  had  in  re[!ntation  among  all  the 
people,  and  commanded  to  put  the  apostles  forth*  a 
little  space. 

Those  of  the  Jews  who  had  devoted  themselves  to  the  study  of 
the  law,  and  made  considerable  proficiency  in  it,  were  allowed  to 
teach  in  public,  and  to  resolve  the  doubts  of  the  people  respecting 
difficult  matters.  These  were  sometimes  called  scribes,  and  some- 
times lawyers  and  teachers  of  the  law.  This  was  the  employment 
of  Gamaliel,  and  it  seems  that  he  had  attained  the  greatest  emi- 
nence in  his  profession.     He  was  a  zealous  opposer  of  Christianity, 

*  "  Wl)o  bade  the  aposlles  lo  stay  without."      Wakefield,  who  quotes  James  iv,  13. 
VOL.    III.  I 


66  ACTS.  (v.  17—42. 

aamay  be  inferred  from  the  character  of  Paul,  who  was  his  disciple, 
and  who  had  imbibed  all  the  prejudices  of  his  master;  but  the 
advice  which  he  gave  upon  the  present  occasion,  was  full  of  good 
sense  and  prudence. 

35.  And  said  unto  them,  Ye  men  of  Israel,  take 
heed  to  yourselves  ^vllat  ye  intend  to  do,  "  u7iai  ye 
are  about  to  do,^^  touching  these  men. 

S6.  For  before  these  days  rose  up  Theudas,  boast- 
ing himself  to  be  somebody,  "  some  great  persoii,^^ 
to  whom  a  number  of  men,  about  four  hundred,  joined 
themselves,  who  was  slain,  and  all,  as  many  as  obeyed 
him,  were  scattered  and  came  to  nothing. 

As  .Tosephus,  the  Jewish  historian,  mentions  a  Theudas,  who, 
pretending  to  be  a  prophet,  drew  after  him  many  followers,  and 
perished  miserably  with  them,  but  places  him  later  by  ten  years 
than  the  time  at  which  Gamaliel  delivered  this  speech,  those  who 
consider  him  as  the  same  person  who  is  here  mentioned,  must 
suppose  there  is  some  mistake  in  Josephus  or  the  sacred  historian  ; 
but,  as  this  was  a  very  turbulent  period  of  the  Jewish  history,  and 
Theudas  a  very  common  name  among  the  Jews,  it  is  very  possible 
that  there  might  be  two  impostors  of  the  same  name,  who  experi- 
enced a  like  fate.  Dr.  Lardner*  has  mentioned  several  instan- 
ces. There  were  two  Judas's,  who  caused  disturbances  in  Judaea, 
besides  the  man  taken  notice  of  in  the  next  verse.  In  this  way 
both  accounts  may  be  perfectly  consistent. 

37.  After  this  man,  rose  up  Judas  of  Galilee,  in 
the  days  of  the  taxing,  "  of  the  enrolment^''''  and  drew 
away  much  people  after  him  :  he  also  perished,  and 
all,  even  as  many  as  obeyed  him,  were  dispersed. 

This  Judas  is  sometimes  called  by  Josephus,  Judas  the  Gaulan- 
ite,  and  sometimes,  as  he  is  here,  Judas  of  Galilee,  so  that  there 
can  be  no  doubt  of  their  being  the  same  person.  The  account 
which  he  gives  of  him  is  that  he  excited  the  people  to  rebellion,  at 
the  time  of  the  general  enrolment  of  persons  and  property,  for  the 
purposes  of  taxation,  under  Cyrenius  governor  of  Syria  :  telling 
them  that  they  had  a  mean  spirit,  if  they  could  endure  to  pay 
tribute  to  t')e  Romans,  and  acknowledge  mortal  men  for  their 
lords,  after  God  had  been  their  king.  These  sentiments,  the 
historian  tells  us,  were  imbibed  with  avidity  by  great  numbers  of 
the  people,  and  many  were  induced  by  his  persuasion  to  refuse  to 
pay  tribute.  But  in  what  manner  the  matter  ended,  .losephus  has 
no  where  related.  There  can  be  no  doubt,  however,  that  his  enter- 
prise was  defeated,  as  Gamaliel  informs  us,  since  the  tribute  was 
levied,   and   the    Roman   government  continued  to  subsist.     His 

•  Lardner's  Works.  Vol.  I.  pp.  •lO.'j — ^113.  Dod'lridgfc  and  Benson  follow  him. 
Pearce  followi  Archbishop  Usher,  iu  supposing  ihai  Theudas  is  only  another  nam« 
for  JuUaa. 


V.  17—43.)  ACTS.  67 

doctrines,  however,  were  by  no  means  removed  from  the  minds  of 
the  people,  but  continued  to  ferment  there,  until,  as  we  learn  by 
the  same  writer,  they  produced  the  insurrection  which  terminated 
in  the  destruction  of  the  city  and  temple.  It  is  generally  allowed 
that  the  taxing  or  enrolment  mentioned  in  this  passage  is  not  the 
same  which  is  noticed  in  the  second  chapter  of  Luke's  gospel,  as 
it  now  stands  :  the  circumstance,  however,  of  its  not  being  distin- 
guished from  a  prior  one  by  being  called  tlie  second  taxing  or 
enrolment,  affords  a  strong  presumption  against  the  existence  of 
any  other,  and  is  a  fresh  objection  to  that  part  of  the  history,  in 
addition  to  the  many  others  to  which  it  is  liable.  From  Gamaliel's 
language,  we  should  suppose  that  he  knew  but  of  one  enrolment ; 
and  probably  there  was  no  other. 

38.  And  now  I  say  unto  you,  Refrain  from  these 
men,  and  let  them  alone  :  for  if  this  counsel  or  this 
work  be  of  men,  it  will  come  to  nothing; 

Something  will  arise  to  defeat  this  scheme,  as  in  the  two  prece- 
ding instances,  although  at  one  time  they  promised  fair  for  success. 

39.  But  if  it  be   of  God,  ye  cannot  overthrow  it: 

The  next  words  are  to  be  connected  with  the  advice  which  he 
had  given  in  the  preceding  verse ;  Refrain  from  these  men  and  let 
them  alone, 

Lest  haply  ye  be  found  even  to  fight   against  God. 

This  is  the  reason  on  which  his  advice  is  founded.  Gamaliel 
probably  thought  that  the  Roman  governors  would  become  jealous 
of  the  followers  of  Jesus,  as  they  had  of  those  impostors,  and  that 
by  their  means  the  Christian  doctrine  would  be  suppressed, 
without  the  interference  of  the  Jewish  rulers. 

40.  And  to  him  they  agreed;  and  when  they  had 
called  the  apostles,  and  beaten  them,  either  with  rods 
or  hy  scourging,  they  commanded  that  they  should  not 
speak  concerning  the  name  of  Jesus,  and  let  them  go. 

41.  And  they   departed  from  the  presence   of  the 

council,  rejoicing  that  they   were  counted  worthy  to 

suffer  shame  for  his  name. 

They  rejoiced  to  find  that  they  had  discovered  so  much  attach- 
ment to  the  cause  of  Christ,  which,  they  believed,  deserved  all  the 
zeal  which  they  could  manifest,  as  to  attract  the  notice  of  his 
adversaries,  and  incur  punishment  from  them.  From  the  pun  sh- 
ment  being  called  suffering  shame,  it  is  probable  that  it  was  of  a 
light  nature,  and  intended  rather  for  the  purpose  of  degrading 
than  that  of  inflicting  bodily  pain. 

42.  And  daily  in  the  temple,  and  in  every  house, 
"  at  home,^''  they  ceased  not  to  teach  and  preach 
Jesus  Christ,    "  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ.''^ 


6S  ACTS.  (v.  17—42. 


REFLECTIONS. 

1.  The  arguments  emploj^ed  by  Gamaliel  to  dissuade  the  Jews 
from  persecution,  are  well  worthy  of  tlie  serious  consideration  of 
Christians.  If  the  opinions  which  you  seek  to  suppress  by  force 
are  false,  they  will  fall  to  the  ground  of  themselves,  and  violence 
is  unnecessary  and  improper  ;  for  it  will  delay,  not  hasten  their 
fall.  If  they  should  be  true,  your  attempt  is,  at  the  same  time, 
fruitless  and  impious.  The  coalest  is  always  unequal  between 
truth  and  error  :  if  both  should  be  defended  with  equal  skill  and 
zeal,  it  is  easy  to  decide,  which  will  have  the  victory.  The 
progress  of  reason  is  slow,  but  certain,  and  mankind  cannot  fail  to 
be  enlightened,  if  unremitted  pains  be  taken  for  the  purpose.  Let 
no  one,  therefore,  stain  his  hands  with  persecution  in  opposing 
error,  when  his  wishes  may  be  so  easily  accomplished  in  another 
way.  But  your  conduct,  in  having  recourse  to  persecution, 
deserves  to  be  stigmatized  with  a  harsher  name  than  that  of  folly. 
For  it  is  possible,  that  the  opinions  of  those  whom  you  oppose  may 
be  right,  and  your  own  erroneous  ;  and  then,  outrage  and  violence 
are  employed  against  the  triends  and  benefactors  of  the  human 
race,  against  the  worthiest  men,  and  the  servants  of  God  ;  against 
those  whom  you  cannot  oppose  successfully,  or  over  whom,  if  you 
could,  it  would  be  no  honour  to  triumph.  This  implies  no  small 
degree  of  guilt. 

Happy  would  it  have  been  for  the  Jews,  happy  would  it  have 
been  for  Christians,  if  they  had  always  been  attentive  to  the 
maxims  of  this  wise  teacher  !  How  much  innocent  blood  would 
have  been  spared  !  How  much  human  misery  prevented  !  But, 
alas,  it  seems  as  if  the  bulk  of  mankind  had  yet  to  learn,  what 
history  and  observation  have  always  taught  the  enlightened,  the 
folly  and  wickedness  of  persecution. 

2.  Let  those  who  suffer  for  Christ,  or  for  the  cause  of  Christ, 
derive  consolation  to  themselves  from  the  same  source  as  the 
apostles.  Be  assured,  that  your  zeal  is  of  no  ordinary  kind  :  it 
has  already  engaged  the  attention  and  awakened  the  fears  of  your 
opponents  ;  and  tliey  think,  that  the  cause  which  you  espouse,  can 
suffer  no  greater  loss,  than  by  the  want  of  your  exertions ;  bearing 
hereby  an  unwilling  testimony  to  their  value.  If  you  had  any 
doubts  of  the  sincerity  and  warmth  of  your  attachment  to  the 
interest  of  religion  before,  those  doubts  must  now  be  removed  ; 
for  they  are  acknowledged  by  the  conduct  of  its  enemies.  Rejoice, 
then,  in  the  honourable  distinction  which  you  have  attained  :  you 
will  henceforth  be  classed  among  the  zealous  followers  of  Jesus, 
among  ths  apostles  and  martyrs  whose  names  are  handed  down 
with  reverence  from  one  generation  to  another.  Blessed  are  you  ; 
for  you  are  persecuted  for  righteousness'  sake,  and  yours  is  (he 
kingdom  of  heaven  ;  rejoice  and  be  exceeding  glad  ;  for  great  is 
your  reward  in  heaven. 

3.  The  indefatigable   industry  of  the  apostles  in  the  cause  in 


vi.  ]— 7.)  ACTS.  69 

which  they  were  .engaged,  notwithstanding  so  much  opposition, 
deserves  our  admiration  and  our  praise.  They  are  willing  to 
preach,  wherever  men  are  disposed  to  hear,  and  the  truth  is  likely 
to  be  communicated,  in  public,  or  private,  in  their  own  houses,  or 
in  the  temple.  To  them,  while  engaged  in  this  important  work, 
every  day  is  a  sabbath,  every  house  a  chapel,  and  every  spot  of 
ground  consecrated.  Let  the  professed  ministers  of  the  gospel,  in 
this  respect,  imitate  their  example.  Let  them  manifest  the  like 
unremitted  industry,  in  correcting  the  errors  and  in  reforming  the 
morals  of  mankind.  If  they  should  experience  opposition  from 
the  patrons  of  error  and  vice,  let  it  only  serve  to  quicken  their 
exertions,  in  as  much  as  this  alarm  is  a  proof,  that  their  past 
labours  have  been  in  some  degree  successful ;  in  as  much  as  the 
present  opposition  may  only  be  a  prelude  to  much  severer  meas- 
ures, which  may  deprive  them  of  further  opportunities  of  doing 
good.  While  God  is  therefore  pleased  to  give  them  leisure,  let 
them  not  fail  to  employ  it,  in  the  best  manner,  for  this  purpose. 


SECTION  IX. 
Appointment  of  deacons  to  superintend  the  daily  ministration. 

Acts  vi.  1 — 7. 

1.  And  in  those  days  when  the  number  of  the 
disciples  was  multiplied,  there  arose  a  murmuring  of 
the  Grecians  against  the  Hebrews,  because  their 
widows  were  neglected  in  the  daily  ministration. 

These  Grecians,  who  complained  of  neglect,  were  probably  pro- 
selytes to  the  Jewish  religion*  from  among  the  Greeks,  or  the 
descendants  of  such  persons,  who  had  now  embraced  Christianity, 
They  were  become  Jews  by  conforming  to  all  the  ceremonies  of 
the  Mosaic  law  ;  but  they  were  not  allowed  the  same  civil  privi- 
leges as  the  native  Israelites,  who,  by  way  of  distinction,  were 
called  Hebrews  ;  nor  were  they,  by  any  means,  held  in  the  same 
estimation.  A  proof  of  this  they  experienced  on  the  present  occasion, 
even  after  their  conversion  to  Christianity,  by  having  their  widows 
overlooked  in  the  daily  provision  that  was  made  for  those  of  the 
Hebrews  from  the  public  fund.  Of  this  partiality  they  complained, 
as  they  well  might ;  and  the  apostles  were  disposed  to  grant  them 
redress. 

2.  Then  the  twelve  called  the  multitude  of  the 
disciples  unto  them,  and  said,  it  is  not  reason,  "  //  is 
not  reasonable,''''  that   we    should   leave   the  word  of 

•  Lardner  (Remarks  on  Dr.  Ward's  Diss.  Vol.  IX.  p.  292)  suspects,  that  the 
original  reading  was  tx^^vov. 


70  ACTS.  (vi.  1—7. 

God  and  serve  tables,  i.  e.  employ  ourselves  to  furnish 
provisi'ms. 

3.  Wherefore,  brethren,  look  ye  out  among  you, 
seven  men  of  honest  report,  full  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
and  wisdom,  "  testified  to  he  full  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
and  ivisdoniy^^  whom  ye  may  appoint  over  this  busi- 
ness. 

4.  But  we  will  give  ourselves  continually  to 
praj^er,  and  to  the  ministry  of  the  word. 

The  money  which  had  been  raised  for  charitable  purposes  by 
the  new  converts,  was  at  tirst  committed  to  the  disposal  of  the 
apostles  ,  but  as  they  had  more  important  work  to  engage  their 
attention,  they  were  obliged  to  entrust  it  to  others,  who,  it  seems, 
had  not  made  an  equitable  distribution,  but  suffered  themselves  to 
be  influenced  by  national  prejudices.  To  provide  for  this  and 
other  cases,  and  to  free  themselves  from  every  interruption  in  the 
great  business  of  instruction,  they  desire  the  disciples  to  recom- 
mend seven  persons  for  the  office  of  distributing  their  charity, 
who  might  be  respectable  for  their  wisdom,  and  for  a  more  than 
ordinary  portion  of  miraculous  powers. 

5.  And    the    saying,  "  the   address,''''  pleased  the 

whole    multitude :  and    they   chose   Stephen,   a  man 

full  of  faitli  and  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  Philip,   and 

Prochorus,  and  Nicanor,   and  Timon,   and  Parmenas, 

and  Nicolas,  a  proselyte  of  Antioch  ; 

These  names  are  all,  or  most  of  them,  Greek  ;  but  we  cannot 
certainly  infer  thence,  that  the  persons  were  so.  For  some  of  the 
apostles,  who  were  undoubtedly  Hebrews,  had  Greek  names. 
One  of  the  deacons,  Stephen,  was  certainly  a  Hebrew,  as  appears 
from  his  speech  in  the  next  chapter,  and  so  were  probably  the 
rest  except  Nicolas,  who  is  expressly  called  a  proselyte.  But  this 
circumstance  tends  to  confirm  the  opinion  which  has  just  been 
given,  that  the  persons  who  complained  upon  the  present  occasion 
were  proselytes  to  the  Jewish  religion.  Hence  appears  the  pro- 
priety of  choosing  a  proselyte  to  superintend  the  concerns  of  those 
who  were  in  the  same  situation  with  himself,  and  with  whom  he 
could  not  fail  to  have  a  fellow-feeling. 

6.  Whom  they  set  before  the  apostles,  and,  when 
they  had  prayed,  they  laid  their  hands   on  them. 

The  action  of  laying  on  of  hands  probably  accompanied  the 
prayers  of  the  apostles,  and  did  not  follow  them,  as  the  words  may 
seem  to  imply,  and  was  intended  to  render  their  prayers  more 
in)pressive,  and  mark  out  the  persons  who  were  the  objects  of 
them. 

7.  And  the    word   of  God   increased,  "  thrived,^^ 


vi.  1—7.)  ACTS.  71 

and  the  number  of  the  disciples  multiplied  in  Jerusa- 
lem greatly  ;  and  a  great  company  of  the  priests 
were  obedient  to  the  faith. 

That  many  priests,  the  inveterate  enemies  and  persecutors  of 
Jesus  should  profess  their  faith  in  him,  and  hereby  expose  them- 
selves to  the  peculiar  hatred  of  their  brethren,  and  especially,  that 
a  large  company,  or,  as  the  words  properly  signify,  a  great  mul- 
titude should  do  so,  is  highly  improbable.  So  remarkable  a  fact 
would  have  been  noticed  again  :  but  this  is  the  only  instance  in 
which  it  is  mentioned.  One  ancient  version,  the  Syriac,*  instead 
of  priests,  has  Jews  in  this  place  ;  and  I  am  inclined  to  think,  that 
this  must  have  been  the  original  reading.  According  to  this  sup- 
position, Luke,  after  saying,  that  the  disciples  multiplied  greatly 
in  Jerusalem,  adds,  that  a  great  multitude  of  other  Jews,  that  is, 
of  the  inhabitants  of  the  neighbouring  country,  became  obedient 
to  the  faith  ;  a  thing  highly  probable  in  itself,  and  what  it  was  very 
natural  that  he  should  mention. 


REFLECTIONS. 


1.  The  conduct  of  the  apostles  in  preferring  one  employment 
to  another,  may  afford  a  rule  for  directing  others  who  may  be  in 
like  circumstances. 

When  two  employments  interfere,  they  choose  to  follow  that  in 
which  they  are  likely  to  be  the  more  useful.  They  decline  the 
office  of  distributing  the  charities  of  the  first  converts,  although 
a  post  of  great  honour  and  influence,  because  it  interrupted  them 
too  much  in  the  great  work  of  preaching  the  Christian  doctrine; 
hereby  showing,  that  to  provide  for  the  wants  of  the  mind  was,  in 
their  estimation,  a  more  important  service  than  providing  for  those 
of  the  body,  and  that  instructing  men  in  the  means  of  attaining  a 
virtuous  life  now,  and  an  eternal  well-being  hereafter,  is  of  more 
utility  than  furnishing  them  with  temporal  accommodations.  For 
the  one  office  they  are  peculiarly  well  qualified,  by  being  the  com- 
panions of  their  Master  from  the  beginning,  and  by  the  extraordi- 
nary powers  with  which  they  are  endowed.  For  the  other,  men 
of  interior  endowments  might  be  found  among  the  disciples,  equally 
well  qualified  with  themselves,  and  who  would  not  be  interrupted 
by  it  in  any  other  more  important  work.  To  such  persons,  there- 
fore, they  refer  it.  The  apostles  are,  in  this  instance,  an  example 
to  those  who  came  after  them,  who  possess  from  nature,  or  have 
acquired  by  industry,  peculiar  talents  for  instructing  mankind  ; 
teaching  them  not  to  entangle  themselves  so  far  with  other  employ- 
ments, as  may  interfere  with  the  main  design  of  their  profession, 
and  obstruct  the  exercise  of  their  abilities. 

*  To  the  authority  of  the  Syriac  may  be  now  added,  that  of  five  manuscripts,  not 
however  of  high  antiquity,  and  the  quotation  of  Theophylacl.  See  Griesbach, 
2ud.  edition. — Editor. 


72  ACTS.      (vi.  8—15.  vii.  1—60. 

The  ministry  of  the  word  is  indeed,  with  those  who  undertake 
it  in  the  present  day,  a  vokintary  employment,  nor  can  any  claim  a 
commission  from  above,  for  exercising  it ;  but  if,  by  any  means, 
they  are  better  qualified  for  this  office  than  many  others,  it  is  the 
part  of  prudence  and  benevolence  to  confine  themselves  to  it,  as 
they  have  hereby  a  prospect  of  doing  more  good,  and  as  persons 
may  easily  be  found  to  discharge  inferior  offices. 

2.  Christian  teachers  may  learn  hence,  how  necessary  it  is  to 
join  prayer  with  the  preaching  of  the  word.  The  apostles  were 
aware  of  this  necessity  ;  for  they  desire  to  be  set  free  from  the 
office  of  deacons,  in  order  that  they  might  give  themselves  up  to 
prayer,  as  well  as  the  ministry  of  the  word.  What  they  prayed 
for  was,  no  doubt,  the  success  of  their  labours  in  preaching,  the 
continuance  of  miraculous  powers,  and  resolution  and  fortitude  to 
support  the  opposition  and  the  evils  which  they  had  to  encounter 
in  the  exercise  of  their  apostolic  office.  The  ministers  of  religion 
in  the  present  day,  who  meet  with  like  obstacles,  will  find  the 
same  means  equally  necessary.  Without  the  continual  aid  of  this 
exercise,  they  are  in  danger  of  forgetting  the  importance  of  their 
work ;  of  being  discouraged  by  difficulties,  or  of  growing  remiss 
in  their  exertions.  Let  tliem,  therefore,  often  present  themselves 
and  their  labours  before  God,  and  thus  seek  the  animating  influ- 
ence of  those  motives  which  they  cannot  fail  to  feel,  when  viewing 
them  in  his  presence. 


SECTION  X. 

Stephen  is  brought  before  the  council.     His  defence  and  martyrdom. 

Acts  vi.  8—15.    vii.  1— GO. 

8.  And  Stephen,  full  of  faith  and  power,  did 
great  wonders  and  miracles  among  the  people. 

This  serves  to  explain  what  is  said  of  him  in  the  fifth  verse,  that 
he  was  full  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  By  this,  it  appears,  no  more  was 
intended  than  that  he  was  possessed  of  supernatural  powers,  and 
wrought  many  miracles. 

9.  Then  there  arose  certain  of  the  Synagogue 
which  is  called  the  synagogue  of  the  Libertines,  and 
Cyrenians,  and  Alexandrians,  and  of  them  of  Cilicia, 
and  of  Asia,  disputing  with  Stephen. 

It  has  been  generally  supposed,  that  the  Libertines  werr^  Jews, 
who,  having  been  slaves  to  Roman  masters,  had  received  their 
liberty,  and  took  their  name  from  that  circumstance.  But  as  there 
was  a  city  or  district  in  A  frica,  called  Libcrtina,*  it  is  most  probable, 

*  Pcarcc. 


vi.  8—16.)  ACTS.  73 

that  the  Libertines  were  thus  denominated  from  that  name ;  the 
more  especially,  as  the  Cyrcnians  and  Alexandrians,  mentioned  in 
connexion  with  them,  were  inhabitants  of  that  quarter  of  the  globe. 
As  the  Jews  who  resided  in  foreign  countries  had  frequent  occasion 
to  resort  to  Jerusalem,  to  bring  offerings  to  the  temple,  and  for 
other  purposes,  they  found  it  convenient  to  have  synagogues  of 
their  own,  in  which  the  law  might  be  read  to  them  in  a  language 
which  was  familiar  to  them,  namely,  the  Greek.  These  were  the 
persons  whom  Stephen  met,  and  with  whom  he  disputed  on  the 
present  occasion. 

10.  And  they  were  not  able  to  resist  the  wisdom 
and  the  spirit,  i.  e.  the  ivise  spirit,  with  which  he 
spake. 

11.  Then  they  suborned  men,  which  said,  We 
have  heard  him  speak  blasphemous  words  against 
Moses  and  against  God. 

12.  And  they  stirred  up  the  people,  and  the  elders, 
and  the  scribes,  and  came  upon  him,  and  caught  him, 
and  brought  him  into  the  council. 

13.  And  set  up  false  witnesses,  which  said.  This 
man  ceaseth  not  to  speak  blasphemous  words  against 
this  holy  place  and  the  law : 

14.  For  we  have  heard  him  say,  That  this  Jesus 
of  Nazareth  shall  destroy  this  place,  and  shall  change 
the  customs  which  Moses  delivered  us. 

They  had  probably  heard  Stephen  recount  some  of  the  prophe- 
cies of  Jesus,  respecting  the  destruction  of  Jesusalem  and  the 
temple,  in  which  case  some  of  the  customs  of  the  place  must  undoubt- 
edly cease;  such  as  the  rites  of  sacrifice,  and  other  things. 

15.  And  all  that  sat  in  the  council,  looking  stead- 
fastly on  him,  saw  his  face,  as  it  had  been  the  face  of 
an  angel. 

To  see  his  face  like  the  face  of  angel,  is  only  a  Jewish  form  of 
speech,  to  express  the  gracefulness  or  majesty,  or  both,  which 
appeared  in  the  countenance  of  Stephen,  when  about  to  speak, 
and  when  illuminated  with  the  sentiments  that  ho  was  going  to 
deliver,  which  we  have  in  the  next  chapter. 


We  see  from  this  history  what  base  expedients  those  men  have 
recourse  to,  whose  minds  are  prejudiced  against  the  truth.  The 
opposers  of  Stephen,  because  tliey  cannot  answer  his  arguments, 
resolve  to  take  away  his  life  ;  and  that  by   the  most   dishonourable 


VOL.    111. 


74  ACTS.  (vii.  1—16. 

means ;  by  sabornms;  men  to  bear  false  witness  against  him. 
What  complicated  guilt  and  folly  !  Let  us,  my  brethren,  cultivate 
a  sincere  love  of  truth,  as  one  of  the  best  and  noblest  qualities  of 
the  mind.  It  will  save  us  from  a  thousand  dishonourable  and 
criminal  artifices,  to  which  the  advocates  of  error  must  have 
recourse,  in  order  to  support  a  bad  cause. 


1.  Then  said  the  high -priest,  Are  these  things  so? 

Is  the  charge  of  having  spoken  blasphemous  or  wicked 
words  against  Moses  and  against  God,  true  ?  offering  Stephen  an  op- 
portunity of  defending  himself. 

2.  And   he   said,  Brethren  and  Fathers,  (some  of 

the  council  ivere  much  his  seniors,)  hearken ! 

Stephen  makes  an  indirect  reply  to  the  charge  of  blasphemy,  by 
reciting  briefly  a  considerable  portion  of  the  Old  Testament  history, 
hereby  showing,  that  ho  believed  in  the  same  God  and  the  same 
revelations  with  themselves,  and  could  not,  therefore,  be  guilty  of 
the  crime  of  which  he  was  accused.  He  reminds  them,  also,  of 
several  instances  in  which  they  had  rejected  or  ill  treated  divine  mes- 
sengers, intending  hereby  to  warn  them  of  the  danger  which  they 
were  in  of  being  guilty  of  the  same  crime,  in  the  present  instance, 
by  rejecting  the  Messiah. 

The  God  of  glory  appeared  unto  our  father  Abra- 
ham, when  he  was  in  Mesopotamia,  before  he  dwelt  in 
Charran. 

This  place  is  called  Haran  in  the  book  of  Genesis,  and  lay  in 
the  country  between  the  rivers  Tigris  and  Euphrates,  which  was, 
on  that  account,  called  Mesopotamia. 

3.  And  said  unto  him.  Get  thee  out  of  thy  country, 
and  from  thy  kindred,  and  come  into  the  land  which 
I  shall  show  thee. 

The  object  of  this  extraordinary  command  was  to  preserve  him 
from  idolatry,  with  which  all  his  kindred  were  infected,  and  which 
it  would  have  been  impossible  for  the  patriarch  to  resist,  if  he  had 
remained  among  them.  It  is  probable  that  the  Canaanites,  at  this 
time,  were  not  so  much  corrupted  in  this  respect  as  the  Chaldeans; 
for  we  read  of  Melchizedek,  king  of  Salem,  who  was  priest  of  the 
most  high  God,  and  who  blessed  Abraham  ;  and  likewise  of  some 
other  persons  who  seemed  to  have  retained  the  knowledge  of  the 
true  God.  In  this  country  it  was  foreseen  that  Abraham  would 
meet  with  fewer  temptations  to  idolatry,  and  be  better  able  to 
preserve  his  integrity. 

4.  Then  came  he  out  of  the  land  of  the  Chal- 
deans, and  dwelt  in  Charran :  and  from  thence,  when 


vii.  1— IG.  ACTS.  75 

his  father   was  dead,  he,  i.  c.  God,  removed  him  into 
this  land,  wherein  ye  now  dwell. 

5.  And  he  gave  him  no  inheritance  in  it,  no,  not 
so  much  as  to  set  his  foot  on  ;  yet  he  promised  that 
he  would  give  it  him  for  a  possession,  and  to  his  seed 
after  him,  when  as  yet  he  had  no  child. 

These  circumstances  are  mentioned  to  illustrate  the  strength  of 
the  patriarch's  faith.  He  believed  that  God  would  bestow  the 
land  of  Canaan  upon  his  posterity,  although  he  had  not  ground 
enough  to  set  his  foot  upon,  and  although  he  had  no  child,  nor, 
according  to  the  common  course  of  nature,  had  the  prospect  of  any. 
Abraham  had,  indeed,  one  small  portion  of  land,  the  field  of 
Macphelah,  which  he  bought  for  a  burying-place ;  yet,  as  it  was 
purchashed  by  himself,  and  not  given  him  by  God,  it  is  not  noticed 
here. 

6.  And  God  spake  on  this  wise,  "  in  this  manner,^^ 
that  his  seed  should  sojourn  in  a  strange  land,  and 
that  they  should  bring  them  into  bondage,  and  entreat 
them  evil  four  hundred  years. 

The  children  of  Israel  were  not  four  hundred  years  in  bondage  ; 
for  the  v/hole  period  of  their  residence  in  Egypt  was  not  more 
than  two  hundred  and  fifteen  years.  But  that  period  must  be 
applied  to  the  first  part  of  the  paragraph,  as  well  as  the  last,  that 
is,  to  the  whole  time  of  their  sojourning  in  a  strange  land,  in 
Canaan  as  well  as  in  Egypt,  and  then  it  will  include  the  whole 
period  from  the  birth  of  Isaac  to  the  time  of  their  deliverance, 
which  makes  four  hundred  years.  Paul,  Galatians  iii.  17,  reckons 
four  hundred  and  thirty  years  from  the  covenant  made  with 
Abraham  to  the  time  of  the  giving  the  law  ;  but  his  reckoning 
includes  the  time  which  elapsed  before  the  birth  of  Isaac,  which 
was  between  twenty  and  thirty  years. 

7.  And  the  nation  to  whom  they  shall  be  in  bon- 
dage will  I  judge,  "  ivill  I  punish,''''  said  God  ;  and 
after  that  shall  they  come  forth,  and  serve  me  in  this 
place,  in  Canaan,  or  Palestine. 

8.  And  he  gave  him  the  covenant  of  circumci- 
sion, or,  circumcision  as  the  ratifying  act  of  the  cove- 
nant. And  so  Abraham  begat  Isaac,  and  circumcised 
him  the  eighth  day  :  and  Isaac  begat  Jacob,  and  Jacob 
begat  the  twelve  patriarchs. 

9.  And  the  patriarchs,  moved  with  envy,  sold 
Joseph  into  Egypt :  but  God  was  with  him, 

10.  And  delivered  him    out  of  all    his  afflictions. 


76  ACTS.  (vii.  1—16. 

and  gave  him  favour  and  wisdom,  i.  e.  first  loisdom 
and  then  favour,  in  the  sight  of  Pharaoh  king  of 
Egypt,  and  he  made  him  governor  over  Egypt  and  all 
his  house. 

11.  And  there  came  a  dearth  over  all  the  land  of 
Egypt  and  Canaan,  and  great  affliction ;  and  our 
fathers  found  no  sustenance  : 

12.  But  when  Jacob  heard  that  there  was  corn 
in  Egypt,  he  sent  out  our  fathers  first ; 

13.  And  at  the  second  time  Joseph  was  made 
known  to  his  brethren,  and  Joseph's  kindred  was 
made  known  unto  Pharaoh. 

14.  Then  sent  Joseph,  and  called  his  father  Jacob 
to  him,  and  all  his  kindred,  threescore  and  fifteen 
souls. 

This  number  does  not  correspond  with  that  which  is  mention- 
ed in  Gen.  xlvi.  27,  where  seventy  only  are  enumerated ;  and 
commentators  have  been  much  perplexed  to  reconcile  the  two 
places.  But  the  truth  is,  that  Stephen  has  followed  the  Greek 
translation  of  the  Old  Testament,  which  has  added  Manasseh  and 
Ephraim,  and  their  children  to  the  list,  who  were  indeed  descend- 
ants of  Jacob,  but  did  not  go  with  him  into  Egypt,  being  already 
in  that  country.  Which  of  these  numbers  is  the  right,  it  is  of  little 
consequence  to  determine,  except  to  those  who  maintain  the 
inspiration  of  Stephen,  and,  at  the  same  time,  the  inspiration  of 
the  history  of  Genesis.  The  reason  of  mentioning  the  number 
that  came  down  with  Jacob  into  Egypt,  was  to  show  the  great 
increase  of  the  children  of  Israel,  who,  in  little  more  than  two 
hundred  years,  grew  from  seventy  persons  into  a  great  nation. 

15.  So  Jacob  went  down  into  Egypt,  and  died,  he 
and  our  fathers ; 

16.  And  were  carried  over  into  Sychem,  ^^  She- 
chem,^^  and  laid  in  the  sepulchre  that  Abraham  bought 
for  a  sum  of  money,  of  the  sons  of  Emmor,  the  father 
of  Sychem. 

This  purchase  was  made  by  Jacob,  and  not  by  Abraham,  Gen. 
xxxiii.  19.  One  name  has,  therefore,  been  substituted  for  another  ; 
but  whether  this  mistake  arose  from  a  slight  failure  of  the  memory 
in  Stephen,  or  in  Luke,  or,  which  is  as  likely,  from  the  error  of  a 
transcriber,  it  is  of  little  consequence  to  determine. 


vii.  1—16.)  ACTS.  77 


REFLECTIONS. 

The  portion  of  Scripture  which  we  have  been  reading,  although 
it  requires  little  explanation,  is  not  without  instruction. 

1.  The  conduct  of  Abraham,  in  believing  the  divine  declara- 
tions, affords  an  excellent  example  for  the  imitation  of  Christians. 
Although  the  blessing  promised,  was  of  the  most  extraordinary 
nature;  although  the  event  was  distant;  although  there  was  no 
apparent  probability  of  its  ever  being  fulfilled ;  this  patriarch 
relies  with  implicit  confidence  upon  the  power  and  faithfulness  of 
God.  In  doing  so,  ho  was  not  actuated  by  a  spirit  of  extravagant 
presumption,  but  followed  the  soundest  principles  of  reason  and 
piety  ;  and  the  event  fully  justified  his  conduct.  If  we  act  in  the 
same  manner,  in  regard  to  other  promises  which  yet  remain  to  be 
fulfilled,  we  shall  do  honour  to  ourselves,  and  to  the  great  Being  in 
whom  we  believe.  We  are  assured  of  an  inheritance  in  a  better 
country,  and  are  now  required  to  live  and  act  in  expectation  of 
that  event.  The  object  of  our  hope  is  unseen  and  distant,  and  we 
must  shortly  be  laid  in  a  place,  from  which,  according  to  present 
appearances,  it  is  not  likely  that  we  shall  ever  return.  But  let  us 
not  on  this  account  abandon  our  hopes.  Other  persons  have 
believed  promises  of  God  equally  improbable,  which  have  been 
fully  accomplished,  and  there  is  nothing  which  can  prevent  the 
execution  of  this,  by  a  Being  of  almighty  power  and  infinite 
wisdom. 

2.  Nothing  could  be  more  base  and  criminal  than  the  conduct 
of  the  patriarchs  towards  Joseph,  Such  a  want  of  common  hu- 
manity, to  say  nothing  of  brotherly  affection,  we  could  hardly  have 
expected  in  any  belivers  in  the  God  of  Israel  ;  much  less  in  such 
a  family  as  that  of  Jacob.  But  the  conduct  of  Joseph,  in  forgiving 
entirely  this  great  injury,  when  it  was  fully  in  his  power  to  re- 
taliate ;  in  acknowledging  as  his  brethren  those  who  had  forfeited 
all  title  io"  the  privileges  of  that  relation,  when  he  himself  was  so 
highly  exalted  above  them  ;  in  preserving  them  and  their  children 
alive,  in  a  time  of  famine,  is  an  instance  of  virtue  and  greatness  of 
mind  which  demands  our  highest  admiration  and  praise.  This 
circumstance  alone,  had  we  known  nothing  more  of  his  history, 
wo«ld  have  been  sufficinat  to  immortalize  his  memory.  How  ten- 
der and  affecting  his  language  to  them,  when  they  come,  full  of  fear 
and  apprehension,  to  implore  his  forgiveness!  "  But  as  for  you," 
says  he,  "ye  thought  evil  against  me  ;  but  God  meant  it  unto  good, 
to  bring  to  pass,  as  it  is  this  day;  to  save  much  people  alive.  Now, 
therefore,  fear  ye  not,  I  will  nourish  you  and  your  little  ones. 
And  he  comforted  them,  and  spake  kindly  unto  them!"  You  see 
that  he  views  the  hand  of  God  as  well  as  the  enmity  of  his 
brethren,  in  his  sufferings,  and  offers  them  consolation  which  they 
could  not  offer  tiiemselves.  How  truly  noble  is  this  conduct! 
Joseph  enjoyed  far   greater  pleasure   and   satisfaction  of  mind  in 


78  ACTS.  (vii.  17—36. 

this  behaviour,  than  the  amplest  revenge  could  have  aflorded  ;  and 
so  will  every  one  who  imitates  his  example. 

3.  The  history  of  this  patriarch  may  teach  us  that  exalted 
virtue  is  not  universally  prosperous.  The  excellent  character  of 
Joseph  could  not  secure  him  from  the  envy  and  ill  treatment  of 
his  brethren.  Indeed  the  virtue  which  he  possessed  seems  to  have 
been  one  principal  ground  of  the  dislike  which  they  entertained 
against  him.  Let  not  good  men,  therefore,  of  the  present  day,  be 
surprised  or  discouraged  if  they  experience  treatment  to  which 
their  predecessors  and  superiors  were  exposed,  and  from  which 
one,  who  was  greater  than  Joseph  was  not  exempted :  especially 
when  they  recollect,  what  indeed  they  may  learn  at  the  same  time, 
that  virtue,  however  oppressed  and  injured  for  a  season,  will 
triumph  in  the  end,  and  that  it  is  generally  the  surest,  if  not  the 
easiest,  path  to  human  favour  and  pros])erity.  With  the  prospect 
of  such  a  termination  to  their  journey,  they  may  well  endure  a  few 
hardships  by  the  way. 


17.  But  when  the  time  of  the  promise  drew  nigh, 
which  God  had  sworn  to  Abraham,  the  promise  of 
release  from,  EgyjJt,  the  people  grew  and  multiplied 
in  Egypt, 

18.  Till  another  king  arose  which  knew  not 
Joseph. 

19.  The  same  dealt  subtly  with  our  kindred,  and 
evil  entreated  our  fathers,  so  that  they  cast  out  their 
young  children,  to  the  end  that  they  might  not  live. 

20.  In  which  time  Moses  was  born,  and  was 
exceeding  fair,  and  nourished  up  in  his  father's  house 
three  months. 

21.  And  when  he  was  cast  out,  Pharaoh's  daugh- 
ter took  him  up,  and  nourished  him  for  her  own  son. 

22.  And  Moses  was  learned  in  all  the  wisdom  of 
the  Egyptians,  and  was  mighty  in  words  and  deeds. 

That  Egypt  was  anciently  the  seat  of  learning,  and  that  the 
Egyptians  were  the  inventors  of  several  branches  of  science,  is 
generally  allowed  by  historians  ;  and  particularly  that  they  first 
discovered  the  princi|)les  of  that  system  of  the  universe  which 
afterward  rendered  the  name  of  Copernicus  illustrious.  What  de- 
gree of  knowledge  they  possessed  in  the  time  of  Moses,  wc  do 
not  certainly  know  ;  but  whatever  it  might  be,  it  is  probable, 
independently  of  the  authority  of  Stephen,  that  the  adopted  son  of 
Pharaoh's  daughter  was  acquainted  with  it.  To  what  particular 
facts  Stephen  refer.s,  when    he  says  that   Moses  became  mighty  in 


vii.  17—36.)  ACTS.  79 

words  and  deeds,  it  is  impossible  to  say.  He  probably  spoke  from 
tradition  :  for  the  Old  Testament  history  is  silent  upon  the  subject. 
That  Moses  was  no  orator,  is  sufficiently  evident  ;  for  Aaron,  his 
brother,  was  employed  to  speak  for  him  on  all  public  occasions,  and 
that  he  was  not  skilled  in  military  affairs,  is  equally  clear  ;  for 
military  expeditions  were  entrusted  to  the  care  of  Joshua, 
and  never  commanded  by  Moses  in  person.  It  is  highly  improba- 
ble, therefore,  that  the  story  which  Josephus  tells  us  of  his  com- 
manding the  Egyptians  in  a  successful  expedition  against  the 
Ethiopians  should  be  true.  That  Moses  was  skilled  in  writing  or 
composition,  appears  from  the  history  which  bears  his  name,  and 
also  from  the  book  of  Job,  if  that  really  be,  as  some  suppose,  his 
work.  In  regard  to  the  laws  and  institutions  of  Moses,  they  had 
a  higher  origin  than  his  own  wisdom. 

23.  And  when  he  was  forty  years  old,  it  came 
mto  his  heart  to  visit  his  brethren,  the  children  of 
Israel. 

24.  And,  seeing  one  of  them  suffer  wrong,  he 
defended  him,  and  avenged  him  that  was  oppressed, 
^^that  was  overpowered,''''  and  smote  the  Egyptian  : 

25.  For  he  supposed  his  brethren  would  have 
understood,  how,  that  God,  by  his  hand,  would  de- 
liver them  :  but  they  understood  not. 

The  design  of  delivering  the  Israelites  from  bondage  and  from 
Egypt,  in  the  manner  in  which  it  was  accomplished,  originated 
with  God,  and  it  was  with  much  difficulty,  and  not  till  after  he  had 
made  many  objections,  that  Moses  could  be  prevailed  upon  to 
engage  in  the  undertaking.  It  is  not  likely,  therefore,  that  he 
should  offer  his  services  for  that  purpose.  Yet  his  visit  to  his 
countrymen,  and  his  interference  in  their  behalf,  were  intended  to 
show  that  he  was  willing  to  exert  himself  for  their  benefit,  although 
he  might  thereby  incur  personal  danger.  He  probably  thought 
that  his  influence  at  court  would  have  enabled  him  to  remove,  or 
at  least  to  alleviate,  their  sufferings.  But  the  Israelites  were  too 
much  oppressed  with  their  sufferings  to  attend  to  any  hint  of  this 
kind. 

26.  And  the  next  day  he  showed  himself  unto 
them  as  they  strove,  and  would  have  set  them  at  one 
again,  "  would  have  reconciled  them,''''  saying.  Sirs, 
ye  are  brethren,  why  do  ye  wrong  one  to  another  ? 

27.  But  he  that  did  his  neighbour  wrong  thrust 
him  away,  saying.  Who  made  thee  a  ruler  and  a  judge 
over  us  ? 

28.  Wilt  thou  kill  me,  as  thou  didst  the  Egyptian 
yesterday  ? 


80  ACTS.  (vii.  17—36. 

29.  Then  fled  Moses  at,  this  saying,  and  was  a 
stranger  in  the  land  of  Midian,  where  he  begat  two 
sons. 

30.  And  when  forty  years  were  expired,  there 
appeared  to  him  in  the  wilderness  of  mount  Sina,  an 
angel  of  the  Lord  in  a  flame  of  fire  in  a  bush. 

This  passage,  as  well  as  many  in  the  Old  Testament,  affords  a 
proof  that  by  "an  angel  of  the  Lord,"  nothing  more  is  to  be  un- 
derstood than  some  instrument  of  the  Divine  Being,  for  communi- 
cating his  will  to  mankind,  or  for  executing  his  purposes.  For  we 
here  tind  that  a  flame  of  fire,  or  rather,  perhaps,  the  voice  that 
came  out  of  it,  is  so  called.  That  there  was  no  intelligent  being 
present  on  this  occasion,  besides  God  himself,  is  evident  from  the 
words  that  follow,  in  which  the  Divine  Being  speaks  in  his  own 
person.  In  like  manner,  a  dreaui,  a  vision,  a  voice  from  heaven, 
a  plague,  a  burning  wind,  are  called  angels  of  God.  And  what- 
ever God  is  pleased  to  do  by  them  is  said  to  be  done  by  an  angel 
of  the  Lord.* 

31.  When  Moses  saw  it,  he  wondered  at  the  sight ; 

What  excited  his  surprise,  as  we  learn  from  the  history,  was 
that  the  bush  should  not  be  consumed  by  what  appeared  to  be  a 
burning  flame. 

And  as  he  drew  near  to  behold  it,  the  voice  of  the 
Lord  came  unto  him, 

32.  Saying,  I  am  the  God  of  thy  fathers,  the  God 

of  Abraham,  and  the  God  of  Isaac,  and  the    God   of 

Jacob.      Then  Moses  trembled,  and  durst  not  behold. 

He  was  approaching  tlie  bush,  curious  to  examine  the  appear- 
ance;  but  hearing  the  voice  of  God  from  it,  he  durst  no  longer 
look  towards  it.  From  the  strong  manner  in  which  Moses  was 
affected,  it  is  probable,  that  this  was  the  first  appearance  which  the 
Divine  Being  ever  made  to  him. 

33.  Then  said  the  Lord  to  him,  Put  off  thy  shoes 
from  thy  feet :  for  the  place  where  thou  standest  is 
holy  ground. 

The  ground  was  rendered  holy  by  the  presence  of  God  ;  and 
Moses  was  required  to  uncover  his  feet,  as  a  testimony  of  respect 
usually  paid  to  a  superior,  as  uncovering  the  head  is  in  modern 
times.  In  the  history  of  this  transaction  in  the  book  of  Exodus, 
this  order  precedes  the  declaration  in  the  foregoing  verse;  a 
change  which  is  of  little  impotrance  in  itself,  but  which  shows  that 
Stephen  was  guided  by  his  memory,  and  not  by  any  superior 
assistance. 

*   Lowman's  Three  Tracts,  p.  25. 


vii.  17—36.)  ACTS.  81 

34.  I  have  seen,  I  have  seen,  or,  «s  it  is  in  Exodus, 

"  /  have  surely  seen,''''  the    affliction   of   my  people 

which  is  in  Egypt,  and  I   have   heard  their  groaning, 

and  am  come  down  to  deliver  them.     And  now  come, 

I  will  send  thee  into  Egypt. 

As  God  is  every  where  present,  and  knows  what  takes  place  at 
all  times,  when  he  here  speaks  of  himself  as  now  hearing  of  the 
afflictions  of  the  children  of  Israel  for  the  first  time,  and  coming 
down  from  heaven  to  deliver  them,  ho  only  accommodates  his 
language  to  the  gross  conception  of  men. 

35.  This  Moses,  whom  they  refused,  saying.  Who 
made  thee  a  ruler  and  a  judge  ?  the  same  did  God 
send  to  be  a  ruler  and  a  deliverer,  by  the  hands 
of  the  angel  which  appeared  to  him  in  the  bush. 

By  reminding  the  Jews  of  the  folly  of  their  ancestors,  in  despi- 
sing the  services  of  a  man  whom  God  honoured,  by  employing 
him  as  the  fittest  instrument  of  their  deliverance,  Stephen  plainly 
insinuates,  that  his  countrymen  might  have  been  guilty  of  the  like 
folly  a  second  time,  in  rejecting  Jesus  of  Nazareth. 

SQ.  He  brought  them  out,  after  that  he  had  show- 
ed wonders  and  signs,  in  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  in 
the  Red  Sea,  and  in  the  wilderness,  forty  years. 


REFLECTIONS. 


1.  We  may  observe  how  truly  honourable  and  noble  was  the 
conduct  of  Moses  in  regard  to  his  brethren.  He  forsakes  the 
honours  and  pleasures  of  a  court,  to  visit  a  despised,  oppressed, 
and  enslaved  people  ;  he  concerns  himself  in  their  affairs,  and 
endeavours,  at  the  hazard  of  his  own  life,  to  redress  their  wrongs ; 
and  this  he  does  entirely  from  a  principle  of  faith,  before  God  had 
appeared  to  him,  and  before  he  had  made  any  of  those  gracious 
communications  with  which  the  patriarchs  had  been  favoured  ; 
relying  upon  the  promise  of  God  to  their  fathers,  that  he  would  be 
their  protector  and  deliverer.  Justly  has  his  conduct,  upon  this 
occasion,  been  celebrated  by  the  writer  of  the  Epistle  to  the 
Hebrews :  "  By  faith,"  says  he,  "  Moses,  when  he  was  come  to 
years,  refused  to  be  called  the  son  of  Pharaoh's  daughter,  choosing 
rather  to  suffer  affliction  with  the  people  of  God,  than  to  enjoy  the 
pleasures  of  sin  for  a  season  ;"  that  is,  the  pleasure  of  sinners 
or  idolaters,  which  are  only  temporary.  For  that  Moses  partook 
of  sinful  pleasures  does  not  appear.  "  Esteeming  the  leproach  of 
Christ,"  or,  as  it  would  be  better  rendered,  "the  reproach  of  the 
anointed,"  that  is,  of  God's  chosen  people,  the  Israelites,  "  greater 


82  ACTS.  (vii.  37—50. 

riches  than  the  treasures  of  Ecypt."  This  conduct  was  truly 
generous  and  disinterested  ;  and  justly  was  ho  afterwards  honoured 
by  (xod  with  being  made  the  deliverer  and  law-giver  of  the  people 
to  whom  he  had  shown  such  regard.  How  well  does  his  charac- 
ter illustrate  the  happy  cflbcts  of  a  virtuous  and  religious  education  ; 
for  to  the  pious  instructions  of  his  parents  he  was  no  doubt  indebt- 
ed for  his  firm  belief  in  the  divine  promises. 

How  different  the  part  which  Moses  acted,  from  that  of  many 
of  those  w  ho  have  been  in  the  like  circumstances  ;  who,  when 
once  raised  from  a  mean  condition  to  affluence  and  power,  entirely 
forget  the  afllicted  condition  of  their  brethren,  and  are  often  zealous 
to  countenance  the  measures  of  their  oppressors,  in  order  to  con- 
vince their  new  friends,  that  tliey  have  entirely  discarded  their 
former  acquaintance,  and  that  they  are  sincere  in  their  present 
professions. 

2.  Happy  would  it  bo  for  mankind,  did  they  but  attend  to 
the  motive  which  Moses  is  represented  as  suggesting  for  abating 
the  violence  of  his  contending  countrymen.  Why  do  ye  injure 
one  another  1  Ye  are  brethren,  descended  from  the  same  ances- 
tor, children  of  one  family,  members  of  one  community,  professors 
of  one  religion.  A'iolcnt  contests,  bitter  animosities,  and  barba- 
rous treatment  among  persons  so  nearly  related,  are  peculiarly  un- 
natural and  reproachful.  Let  private  families,  when  torn  with 
internal  dissensions ;  let  Christian  societies,  when  diftering  in 
religious  opinions,  remember  this  important  truth  ;  and  it  cannot 
fail  to  soften  their  animosities  against  each  other,  and  to  moderate 
the  violence  of  their  contests.  Nor  let  it  be  forgotten  by  contend- 
ing nations.  However  different  from  each  other  in  situation,  in 
language,  and  in  imagined  interests,  they  have  all  one  common 
nature,  and  one  Father  in  heaven.  Let  this  consideration  soften 
the  ferocities  of  war,  and  teach  them  humanity  towards  each 
other.  Let  it  teach  them  to  pity  and  pray  for  their  misguided 
brethren,  and  not  to  anathematize  them. 


37.  Tins  is  that  Moses  wliich  said  unto  the 
children  of  Israel,  A  prophet  shall  the  Lord  your 
God  raise  up  unto  you  of  your  brethren,  as  he  has 
raised  me  ;  him  shall  ye  hear. 

This  declaration  of  Moses  referred,  originally,  to  a  succession 
of  prophets  or  teaclicrs  among  the  children  of  Israel,  and  not  to 
any  one  individual.  Yet  it  is  properly  applied  to  the  INlessiah, 
because  he  must  be  included  in  the  number. 

38.  This  is  he  that  was  in   the  church,  "  m  the 
congregation,^^  in  the  wilderness,  with  the  angel   that 
spake  to  him  in  the  mount  Sina,  and  with  our  fathers  : 
who   received    the    lively   oracles,  "  the  doctrines  of 
life,''''  to  give  unto  us. 


vii.  37—50.)  ACTS.  83 

It  was  God  who  delivered  the  law  from  mount  Sinai  :  tlie  angel, 
therefore,  to  whom  it  is  attributed,  must  be  understood,  as  before 
explaiued,  to  mean  either  the  fire  which  appeared  on  the  top  of 
the  mountain,  or  the  voice  which  proceeded  from  it.  The  laws 
of  Moses  are  here  called  the  doctrines  of  life,  because  they  pro- 
longed the  lives  of  those  who  observed  thenijin  the  land  of  Canaan. 

39.  To  whom  our  fathers  would  not  obey,  but 
thrust  him  from  them,  and  in  their  hearts  turned  back 
again  into  EgyjDt ; 

They  wished  to  return  thither,  though  they  did  not  actually 
do  so. 

40.  Saying  unto  Aaron,  Make  us  gods  to  go  before 
us  :  for  as  for  this  Moses,  which  brought  us  out  of  the 
land  of  Egypt,  we  wot  not,  "  we  know  7io^,"  what 
is  become  of  him. 

41.  And    they   made  a   calf   in  those  days,   and 

offered  sacrifice  unto  the    idol,   and    rejoiced    in    the 

works  of  their  own  hands. 

If  they  regarded  the  image  of  a  calf  as  really  a  god,  nothing 
could  expose  the  folly '  of  idolatry  more  than  saying  that  they 
rejoiced  in,  or  worshipped,  the  work  of  their  own  hands. 

42.  Then  God  turned,  and  gave  them  up  to  wor- 
ship the  host  of  heaven,  as  it  is  written  in  the  book  of 
the  prophets,  O  ye  house  of  Israel,  have  ye  offered 
unto  me  slain  beasts  and  sacrifices,  by  the  space  of 
forty  years  in  the  wilderness  ? 

43.  But  ye  took  up  the  tabernacle  of  Moloch, 
supposed  to  mean  the  sim,  and  the  star  of  your  god 
Remphan,  or,  ^^Rephan,^^  as  some  copies  read  it, 
supposed  to  be  the  planet  Saturn,  figures  which  ye 
made  to  worship  them  :  and  I  will  carry  you  away 
beyond  Babylon. 

This  is  a  quotation  from  the  prophet  Amos,  in  which  he  replies 
to  a  boast  of  the  children  of  Israel,  that  they  had  served  God 
faithfully  for  forty  years  in  the  wilderness,  by  telling  them  that,  at  that 
time,  as  some  imagine,  or  afterwards,  as  others  with  more  proba- 
bility suppose,  they  had  carried  the  image  of  Moloch  in  a  tent, 
and  a  star  to  represent  Rephan,  anotlier  of  their  gods,  and  that  for 
these  offences  they  were  to  be  carried  captive  to,  or  beyond,  Ba- 
bylon. This  last  circumstance  shows  that  the  idolatry  here 
referred  to,  was  not  any  thing  practised  in  the  wilderness,  but  must 
have  taken  place  in  some  succeeding  period.  For  the  captivity  ot 
Israel  and  Judah  was  a  punishment  inflicted  for  offences  committed 
in  the  land  of  Canaan.     This  quotation  docs  not  correspond  with 


84  ACTS.  (vii.  37—50. 

the  original  Hebrew,  where  we  have  the  word  Chiun  instead  of 
Rephan ;  nor  yet  exactly  with  the  Greek  translation,  although 
evidently  borrowed  thence,  in  which  we  have  Damascus  instead  of 
Babylon,  but  these  variations  are  of  little  importance,  where  the 
inspiration  of  the  speaker  is  not  maintained,  and  may  be  easily 
accounted  for  by  a  failure  of  memory  in  Stephen. 

44.  Our  fathers  had  the  tabernacle  of  testimony 
in  the  wilderness,  as  he  had  appointed,  speaking  unto 
Moses,  that  he  should  make  it  according  to  the  fashion 
that  he  had  seen  ; 

The  tent  or  tabernacle  of  testimony  was  so  called,  because  it 
contained  the  two  tables  of  stone  on  which  God  had  written,  with  his 
own  hand,  the  ten  commandments  delivered  in  an  audible  voice 
from  Mount  Sinai,  and  which  were  to  be  kept  as  a  memorial  of 
that  event  to  all  future  generations.  A  model  of  this  tabernacle 
was  shown  to  Moses  on  the  mount,  and  he  was  directed  to  make  it 
exactly  after  that  pattern.  Stephen  seems  to  have  introduced  the 
mention  of  the  tabernacle  and  temple,  in  order  to  show  that  he 
considered  them  as  of  divine  appointment,  and  that  the  charge 
brought  against  him,  so  far  as  it  respected  these  places,  was 
without  foundation. 

45.  Which  also  our  fathers  that  came  after  brought 
in  with  Jesus,  "/o.s/m«,"  into  the  possession  of  the 
Gentiles,  whom  God  drove  out  before  the  face  of  our 
fathers,  unto  the  days  of  David  ; 

46.  Who  found  favour  before  God,  and  desired  to 

find  a  tabernacle  for  the  God  of  Jacob. 

David  was  favoured  with  great  success  in  the  wars  against  the 
Canaanites,  and  wished  to  erect  a  temple  for  the  ark  of  God  from 
the  spoils  which  he  had  taken  from  his  enemies.  But  he  was  not 
permitted  to  accomplish  his  wishes,  because  he  had  been  engaged 
in  war,  and  his  hands  were  stained  with  blood  :  the  Divine  Being 
choosing  to  express  his  dislike  of  war  in  this  manner.  This 
honour  was  reserved  for  the  more  peaceful  reign  of  his  successors. 

47.  But  Solomon  built  him  a  house. 

48.  Howbeit,  ''though  indeed,''''  the  Most  High 
dwelleth  not  in  temples  made  with  hands,  as  saith  the 
prophet,* 

49.  Heaven  is  my  throne,  and  earth  is  my  foot- 
stool :  What  house  will  ye  build  me,  saith  the  Lord  ? 
Or  what  is  the  place  of  my  rest  ? 

50.  Hath  not  my  hands  made  all  these  things  ? 

*  Isaiah  Ixvi.  I. 


vii.  37—50.)  ACTS.  85 

In  this  sublime  language  the  Deity,  by  the  prophet  Isaiah,  ex- 
presses his  universal  presence,  and  declares  that  the  manifestation 
of  his  perfections  cannot  be  limited  to  any  place.  This  quotation 
was  very  properly  made  by  Stephen,  in  order  to  convey  to  the 
Jews  this  useful  admonition,  that  they  set  too  high  a  value  upon 
their  temple,  when  they  supposed  that  God  could  be  worshipped  in 
no  other  place. 


REFLECTIONS. 

1.  The  strong  tendency  which  the  children  of  Israel  discovered 
to  forsake  the  laws  and  institutions  under  which  they  lived,  affords 
a  strong  presumption  that  they  were  not  at  first  chosen  by  them- 
selves, but  that  they  had  a  superior  origin.  Had  they  been  devised 
by  the  people,  they  would  have  contrived  something  more  agree- 
to  their  wishes  and  inclinations;  and  if  they  had  been  the  con- 
trivance of  MoseSj  he  would  have  taken  care  to  give  them  what  was 
more  acceptable,  and  not  have  imposed  a  yoke  which  they  were 
never  able  to  bear.  The  truth  is,  that  the  institutions  of  Moses 
proceeded  from  the  Divine  Being  himself,  who,  in  giving  them, 
consulted  the  benefit  of  the  Israelites  and  the  future  good  of  man- 
kind, rather  than  the  wishes  of  the  Jews.  Hence  it  was  that  he 
required  many  things  which  they  bore  with  great  impatience,  and 
which  nothing  could  have  induced  them  to  submit  to  at  all,  but  un- 
questionable evidence  of  divine  interposition. 

2.  Let  us  ever  keep  in  mind  the  representation  here  given  of 
the  universal  presence  of  the  Deity.  He  cannot  be  confined  to 
any  place,  much  less  to  such  places  as  men  erect  for  addressing 
him.  He  resides  at  the  same  time  in  every  part  of  the  universe, 
and  may  be  worshipped  every  where.  To  him  every  place  is  alike, 
nor  are  prayers  or  praises  offered  to  him  in  one  place,  more  accep- 
table than  those  which  are  offered  in  another.  If  in  former  times 
he  manifested  himself  in  particular  places  only,  it  was  not  because 
his  perfections  were  limited  to  them,  but  to  accommodate  himself 
to  the  weak  conceptions  of  mortals.  How  venerable  and  awful  is 
the  Being  who  possesses  this  attribute  of  omnipresence  !  How  in- 
finitely exalted  above  human  conceptions  !  Consider  the  works  of 
God,  and  conceive,  if  you  can,  how  great  their  number,  how  vast 
their  extent ;  in  them  the  Deity  constantly  resides,  and  manifests 
every  where  his  vital  energy.  Stretch  your  thoughts  beyond  the 
visible  creation,  into  boundless  space,  he  follows  you  wherever  you 
go,  and  exists  beyond  where  your  thoughts  can  penetrate.  Who 
will  presume  to  think  that  he  can  please  such  a  Being  by  erecting  a 
spacious  temple  for  his  worship,  when  the  universe  itself  cannot 
contain  him  1  Let  us  never  approach  him  but  with  reverence,  nor 
address  him,  wherever  it  may  be,  but  with  the  profoundest  awe. 


Having  given  a  brief  account  of  the  dispensations  of  God  to  his 
countrymen,  and  shown  how  ill  they  behaved  under  them,  Stephen 


86  ACTS.  (vii.  51— -60. 

proceeds  to  reproach  the  Sanhedrim,  in  veiy  severe  but  just  terms, 
with  imitating  the  conduct  of  their  ancestors. 

61.  Ye  stiff-necked  and  uncircumcised  in  heart 
and  ears,  ye  do  always  resist  the  Holy  Spirit  :  as 
your  fathers  did,  so  do  ye. 

These  are  figurative  or  metaphorical  terms, borrowed  by  Stephen 
from  the  Old  Testament,  to  express  the  perverse  and  wicked  spirit 
of  the  Jews.  To  be  uncircumcised,  was  a  reproach  among  that 
people,  and  therefore  this  term,  like  other  terms  of  that  nature, 
came,  in  course  of  time,  to  be  applied  to  the  disposition  as  well  as 
the  person.  To  be  uncircumcised  in  heart  and  cars,  is  to  refuse  to 
hear  the  divine  commands,  or,  when  heard,  to  obey  them.  With 
this  crime  the  Jews  were  justly  chargeable,  for  rejecting  Jesus  of 
Nazareth,  who  came  to  them  with  a  divine  commission  ;  and  in 
doing  this  they  copied  but  too  closely  the  wicked  example  of  their 
ancestors. 

52.  Which  of  the  prophets  have  not  your  fathers 
persecuted  ?  and  have  slain  them  which  showed  be- 
fore of  the  coming  of  the  Just  One,  "  of  the  just  man,'''' 
of  whom  ye  have  been  now  the  betrayers  and  mur- 
derers ; 

Jesus  was  put  to  death  by  Pilate  the  Roman  governor  ;  never- 
theless, as  it  was  done  at  the  instigation  of  the  Jews,  and  in  opposi- 
tion to  his  own  judgment,  repeatedly  expressed,  they  might  justly 
be  called  his  betrayers  and  murderers.  He  is  foretold  by  the  pro- 
phet Isaiah,  liii.  11,  under  the  character  of  the  righteous  servant  of 
God,  and  it  is  to  him,  probably,  that  Stephen  refers,  when  he  says 
that  they  slew  those  who  foretold  the  coming  of  the  Just  One. 

53.  Who  have  received  the  law  by  the  dispensa- 
tion, "  hy  the  ministrations,''''  of  angels,  and  have  not 
kept  it. 

I  have  already  had  occasion  to  observe  to  you,  in  the  course  of 
this  chapter,  that  the  Jews  called  any  instrument  employed  to  ex- 
ecute the  divine  purposes,  or  to  communicate  the  divine  will,  an 
angel  ;  and  that  Stephen  uses  the  term  in  this  sense,  when  he  calls 
the  voice  that  spake  to  Moses  from  the  bush,  and  from  Sinai,  an 
angel  of  God.  In  the  same  sense,  the  law  maybe  said  to  be  re- 
ceived by  the  ministration  of  angels,  because  it  was  communicated 
to  the  children  of  Israel,  or  to  Moses,  by  these  miraculous  voices. 
To  violate  a  law  delivered  to  them  in  this  extraordinary  manner, 
was  a  great  aggravation  of  their  ofl'ence. 

54.  When  they  heard  these  things,  they  were 
cut  to  the  heart  ;  and  they  gnashed  on  him  with  their 
teeth. 

55.  But  he,  being  full  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  looked 


vii.  51—60.)  ACTS.  87 

up  steadfastly  into  heaven,  and  saw  the  glory  of  God, 
and  Jesus  standing  on  the  right  hand  of   God, 

56.  And  said,  Behold,  I  see    the  heavens  opened, 

and  the   Son    of  man    standing  on  the  right   hand  of 

God. 

What  Stephen  saw  was  no  real  appearance,  but  merely  a  visiona- 
r}' representation,  existing  wholly  within  his  own  mind,  intended 
to  express  the  divine  approbation  of  his  present  conduct,  and  to  fur- 
nish him  with  fortitude  for  his  approaching  trial.  He  was  now 
standing  before  the  Jewish  Sanhedrim,  in  a  covered  room,  where 
the  sky,  probably,  was  not  visible.  We  are  told,  indeed,  that  he 
looked  towards  heaven  ;  but  no  more  was  meant  by  this,  than  that 
he  directed  his  eyes  upwards.  That  it  was  a  divine  vision,  is  suf- 
ficiently intimated  by  its  being  said  that  he  was  full  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  that  is,  abounded  in  miraculous  communications  ;  the  very 
same  phrase  tliat  is  applied  by  Luke  to  Christ  before  the  vision  of 
the  temptation  in  the  wilderness.  In  this  vision  Stephen  seemed 
to  see  some  glorious  symbol  of  the  divine  presence,  and  Jesus 
standing  on,  or  at,  the  right-hand  of  God.  That  one  who  had  re- 
proved them  with  so  much  severity  for  their  vice  should  pretend  to 
divine  visions,  was  more  than  they  could  bear. 

57.  Then  they  cried  out  with  a  loud  voice,  and 
stopped  their  ears,  and  ran  upon  him  with  one  ac- 
cord, 

38.  And  cast  him  out  of  the  city,  and  stoned 
him  : 

This  was  an  act  of  popular  fury,  without  any  legal  conviction, 
and  therefore,  in  the  highest  degree,  disgraceful  to  a  court  of  justice. 

And  the  witnesses,  i.  e.  the  false  witnesses,  upon 
whose  accusation  Stephen  loas  brought  to  the  council, 
laid  their  clothes  at  a  young  man's  feet,  whose  name 
was  Saul. 

This  is  the  first  time  that  the  name  of  this  illustrious  person  oc- 
curs in  this  history,  and  on  this  occasion  not  much  to  his  honour. 
He  took  care  of  the  clothes  of  those,  who,  with  savage  fury,  put 
Stephen  to  death. 

59.  And  they  stoned  Stephen,  crying  out,  and 
saying.  Lord  Jesus,  receive  mv  spirit,  "  receive  my 
life:' 

The  word  God  has  been  very  improperly  inserted  in  this  verse 
in  our  translation,  as  it  is  not  found  in  the  original.  Stephen, 
having  just  been  favoured  with  a  vision  in  which  he  saw  Jesus,  and 
retaining  the  impression  of  it  still  strong  upon  his  mind,  perhaps, 
still  seeing  him  at  the  moment  when  he  was  dying,  is  naturally  led 
to  address  him,  requesting  him   to  accept  of  his  life,  which  he  sur- 


68  ACTS.  (vii.  61—60. 

rendered  in  his  house.  But  no  arjjument  can  be  adduced,  from  the 
extraordinary  circumstances  in  which  Stephen  was  at  this  time,  for 
addressing  prayers  to  Christ  in  general. 

60.  And  he  kneeled  down,  and  cried  with  a  loud 
voice,  Lord,  lay  not  this  sin  to  their  charge  ;  and 
when  he  had  said  this,  he  fell  asleep.  And  Saul  was 
consenting  unto  his  death. 

This  was  sufficiently  evident  from  what  was  before  said  of  his 
taking  care  of  the  clothes  of  the  witnesses.  This  sentence,  which 
begins  the  next  chapter,  ought  to  have  closed  the  seventh. 


REFLECTIONS. 


1.  The  courage  and  intrepidity  of  Stephen  deserves  particular 
notice.  Wo  hear  him  charging  the  whole  Jewish  council  with  be- 
ing the  betrayers  and  murderers  of  tha  Just  One,  a  righ- 
teous man  and  eminent  prophet.  What  could  induce  a  private  in- 
dividual, standing  alone  and  unprotected,  to  accuse  his  judges,  who 
had  his  life  in  their  hands,  of  so  base  a  crime,  when  their  conduct 
towards  his  Master  had  afforded  such  evidence  of  their  disposition  ? 
Surely  nothing  but  a  full  conviction  of  the  divine  mission  of  Jesus, 
and  of  his  being  himself  countenanced  by  divine  authorit}',  could 
induce  him  to  make  so  bold  and  dangerous  a  declaration.  And  his 
faith  in  the  truth  of  the  gospel  is  the  best  foundation  for  ours. 
For  men  will  not  expose  their  lives  to  destruction  for  facts  about 
the  truth  of  which  they  have  never  inquired  ;  much  less  will  they 
do  this  for  a  known  falsehood.  Here  then  we  see  what  benefit  the 
world  derives  from  the  blood  of  the  martyrs,  and  how  the  provi- 
dence of  God  is  justified  in  permitting  their  death.  Their  testimo- 
ny in  favour  of  Christianity  confirms  the  faith  of  many  of  their 
brethren,  who  were  before  wavering,  and  inspires  them  with  cour- 
age to  act  the  same  part.  The  violent  death  of  an  excellent  man 
cannot  fail  to  attract  the  attention  of  unbelievers,  and  to  lead  them 
to  inquire  into  the  cause  of  so  extraordinary  an  event  ;  and  inquiry 
must  end  in  conviction.  In  this  manner  the  martyr  makes  more 
proselytes,  and  does  more  good  by  his  death  than  he  could  have  ef- 
fected by  his  instructions,  if  he  had  lived  many  years.  Such  are 
the  benefits  arising  from  martyrdom  to  persons  living  in  the  same 
age  ;  but  the  advantages  resulting  from  it  to  posterity  arc  incalcu- 
lable. It  affords  better  proof  of  the  truth  of  the  Christian  religion 
than  any  other  evidence.  Men  may  pretend  to  divine  revelations 
who  have  no  authority  for  their  pretensions  ;  they  may  swear  false- 
ly in  a  court  of  justice,  where  there  is  no  opportunity  of  detecting 
and  punishing  their  falsehood  ;  hut  they  will  not  deliberately  throw 
away  their  lives  for  an  imposture,  in  ajiy  circumstances. 

2.  We  sec  what  a  noble  spirit  is  communicated  to  those  who 
feel  the  influence  of  the  gospel.  It  teaches  them  to  overlook  and 
forgive  the   greatest   pcisonal  injuries  j  to  regard  with  sentiments 


viii.  1—25.)  ACTS.  89 

of  benevolence,  those  who  inflict  them,  and  even  to  pray  for  their 
forgiveness,  at  the  moment  when  they  are  I'olt.  Such  was  the 
conduct  of  Jesus,  when  nailed  to  the  cross  ;  such  was  the  conduct 
of  his  disciple  Stephen,  whose  last  words  were  a  prayer  for  his  mur- 
derers ;   "  Lord,  lay  not  this  sin  to  their  charge." 


SECTION  XL 

Persecution  of  the  disciples.     Simon  Magus  attempts  to  purchase 
the  gifts  of  the  Spirit. 

Acts  viii.  1 — 25. 

1.  And  at  that  time,  "  on  that  clay,^^  there  was  a 
great  persecution  against  the  church  which  was  at  Je- 
rusalem, and  they  were  all  scattered  abroad,  through- 
out the  regions  of  Judeea  and  Samaria,  except  the 
apostles. 

The  populace,  having  found  that  they  could  murder  a  Christian 
with  impunity,  proceed  to  acts  of  outrage  against  others.  But  the 
objects  of  th'^ir  fury,  instructed  by  their  Master,  "  When  they  }ber- 
secute  you  in  ou.  city  to  flee  to  another,"  disperse  themselves  over  . 
the  neighbouring  countries  in  all  directions,  in  order  to  shelter 
themselves  from  the  storm.  The  apostles  were  either  persons  of 
too  much  eminence  to  be  attacked,  or  their  presence  at  Jerusalem 
was  too  much  wanted  in  the  infant  state  of  the  church,  to  allow 
them  to  desert  their  post. 

2.  And  devout  men  prepared  Stephen  for  his  buri- 
al, and  made  great  lamentation  over  him. 

These  were  probably  some  of  the  proselytes  to  the  Jewish  re- 
ligion, whose  concerns  Stephen  and  the  other  deacons  were  chosen 
to  superintend.  They  were  called  devout  men,  because  they  wor- 
shipped the  true  God. 

3.  As  for  Saul,  he  miade  havoc  of  the  church,  en- 
tering into  every  house  ;  and,  haling  men  and  women, 
committed  them  to  prison. 

He  did  not  content  himself  with  apprehending  those  who  had  as- 
sembled for  public  worship  and  instruction,  which  the  Sanhedrim 
had  prohibited,  but  entered  also  private  houses,  where  any  Chris- 
tians were  supposed  to  reside,  and  dragged  them  to  prison.  In 
this,  however,  he  acted  under  the  authority  of  the  high-priest. 

4.  Therefore    they   that    were    scattered    abroad 

VOL.    III.  IM 


90  ACTS.  (viii.  1—25. 

went  every  where,    preaching    the   doctrhie    of  the 
gospel. 

In  the  original  it  is  preacliing  the  word  ;  but  as  this  is  only  a 
short  form  of  expression  for  the  word  of  God,  the  word  of  life, 
and  the  word  of  salvation,  by  which  the  gospel  is  denominated  in 
other  parts  of  the  New  Testament,  I  think  it  better  to  translate 
the  word  by  this  phrase. 

5.  Then  Philip  went  down  to  the  city  of  Samaria, 
"  to  a  city  of  Samaria,^^  the  city  of  that  name  had 
been  destroyed  ;  and  preached  Christ  unto  them. 

This  Philip  was  not  the  apostle  of  that  name,  but  one  of  the 
seven  deacons,  who  was  chosen  with  Stephen,  as  appears  from  his 
not  being  able  to  communicate  miraculous  gifts  to  the  Samaritans  ; 
a  power  which  belonged  only  to  the  apostles. 

6.  And  the  people,  with  one  accord,  gave  heed 
to  those  things  which  Philip  spake,  hearing  and  see- 
ing the  miracles  which  he  did  : 

7.  For  unclean  spirits,  crying  with  loud  voice, 
came  out  of  many  that  were  possessed  with  them, 
and  many  taken  with  palsies,  and  that  were  lame, 
were  healed. 

Some  of  the  Samaritans,  being  cured  of  madness  on  the  present 
occasion,  are  said  to  be  dispossessed  of  daemons,  or  of  unclean 
spirits,  and  the  spirits  are  said  to  leave  them,  crying  out.  This 
may  refer  to  the  apprehensions  of  the  madmen,  who,  fancying  them- 
selves possessed  by  daemons,  might  fear  that  Philip  was  about  to 
indict  upon  them  some  signal  punishment,  and  cry  out  on  that  ac- 
count, like  one  of  the  deemoniacs  mentioned  in  the  gospel,  who 
cried  out  to  Jesus,  "  Art  thou  come  to  torment  us  before  the 
time  ?"* 

If  it  should  be  said  here  that  the  language  of  the  writer  is  found- 
ed upon  the  prevailing  opinion,  and  implies  a  belief  of  the  reality  of 
possessions,  it  is  readily  admitted  ;  and  I  conceive  that  it  is  not  at 
all  derogatory  from  the  authority  of  the  apostles  and  first  teachers 
of  Christianity,  to  suppose  them  ignorant  of  the  nature  of  the  dis- 
eases which  they  cured  ;  but  on  the  contrary,  that  it  tends  to  es- 
tablish the  reality  of  tlieir  miracles  ;  inasmuch  as  it  appears  that 
they  were  not  the  ciTects  of  superior  knowledge  in  themselves,  and 
must,  therefore,  proceed  from  divine  power. 

8.  And  there  was  great  joy  in  that  city. 

9.  But  there  was  a  certain  man,  called  Simon, 
which  beforetime  in  the  same  city  used  sorcery,  and 
bewitched,  "  used   magic  and   astonished,''''  the  peo- 

•  Matt.  viii.  29. 


viii.  1—25.)  ACTS.  91 

pie,   "  the  nation,''^  of  Samaria,   giving  out  that  him- 
self was  some  great  one  : 

The  art  of  magic  was  supposed  to  consist  in  predicting  future 
events,  and  in  performing  other  extraordinary  things  by  superior 
knowledge  of  the  secret  powers  of  nature,  of  the  virtue  of  plants 
and  minerals,  and  of  the  motions  and  influences  of  the  stars,  assist- 
ed, at  the  same  time,  by  the  power  of  the  gods,  to  whom,  there- 
fore, prayers  and  invocations  were  addressed  by  those  who  practis- 
ed this  art.  With  these  performances  Simon  had  for  some  time 
astonished  the  people  of  Samaria  ;  I  say  astonished,  and  not  be- 
witched, because  that  is  the  proper  translation  of  the  original.  The 
supposed  powers  of  witchcraft,  therefore,  receive  no  countenance 
from  this,  nor  indeed  from  any  other  passage  of  Scripture.  On 
the  contrary,  they  are  universally  branded  with  the  character  of 
impostures.* 

10.  To  whom  they  all  gave  heed,  from  the  least 
to  the  greatest,  saying.  This  man  is  the  great  power 
of  God. 

What  was  meant  by  this  expression,  Luke  has  furnished  us  with 
no  means  of  ascertaining  ;  but  some  things  which  are  told  us  by 
ecclesiastical  historians  respecting  this  man,  will  throw  light  upon 
the  subject.  According  to  these  historians,  Simon  was  by  birth  a 
Samaritan,  but  had  travelled  into  Egypt,  where  he  acquired  a 
knowledge  of  the  oriental  philosophy,  one  of  the  leading  articles 
of  which  was,  that  there  existed  certain  superior  intelligences, 
which  were  emanations  from  the  divine  nature,  and  that  these  oc- 
casionally took  possession  of  human  bodies,  and  manifested  in  thera 
the  extraordinary  powers  of  their  divine  origin.  One  of  these  in- 
telligences Simon  feigned  himself  to  be,  on  which  account,  Luke 
says  that  he  gave  himself  out  to  be  some  great  one,  and  that  the 
people  called  him  the  great  power  of  God.  Such  was  the  philos- 
ophy of  the  East,  upon  which  this  impostor  artfully  founded  his 
pretensions  ;  and  it  has  been  supposed  by  many  that  the  opinions 
which  afterwards  prevailed  among  Christians,  respecting  the  pre- 
existence  of  Christ,  and  the  mode  of  his  derivation  from  the  Fath- 
er, had  the  same  origin. t 

11.  And  to  him  they  had  regard,  because  that 
of  long  time  he  had  astonished  them  with  his  magic. 

12.  But  when  they  believed  Philip,  preaching  the 
things  concerning  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  the  name 
of  Jesus  Christ,  they  were  baptized,  both  men  and 
women. 

Highly  as  they  thought  of  Simon  and  his  performances,  both 
quickly   sunk   into    contempt,  when   they   heard  the  doctrine   and 

*  Farmer  on  Miracles,  p.  23-t,  &lc. 

f  Priestley's  History  of  Early  Opinions,  Vol.  I.  ch.  2.— Enfield's  Btuckcr, 


92  ACTS.  (viii.  1—25. 

saw  the  miracles  of  Philip.     For  the  one   were  real  miracles,  the 
other,  only  pretendccl. 

13.  Then  Simon  himself  believed  also;  and  when 
he  was  baptized,  he  continued  with  Philip,  and  won- 
dered, beholding  the  miracles  and  signs  which  were 
done. 

Whatever  his  professions  might  be,  all  that  Simon  seems  to  have 
believed,  as  ajipears  by  his  subsequent  conduct,  was  no  more  than 
that  Philip  was  a  greater  magician  than  himself,  and  that,  by  asso- 
ciating with  him,  lie  might  have  an  opportunity  of  acquiring  the 
knowledge  of  his  superior  art. 

14.  Now  when  the  apostles  which  were  at  Jeru- 
salem heard  that  Samaria,  i.  e.  a  city  of  that  country, 
had  received  the  word  of  God,  they  sent  unto  them 
Peter  and  John : 

15.  Who,  when  they  were  come  down,  prayed  for 
them  that  they  might  receive  the  Holy  Spirit. 

16.  For  as  yet  he  was  fallen  upon  none  of  them  ; 
only  they  were  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Lord 
Jesus. 

17.  Then  laid  they,  i.  e.  the  tioo  apostles,  their 
hands  on  them,  and  they  received  the  Holy  Spirit. 

From  this  passage  it  has  been  justly  inferred  that  none  but  the 
apostles  could  confer  miraculous  powers,  or  a  power  of  working 
miracles  :  otherwise  there  would  have  been  no  occasion  to  send 
down  two  apostles  to  Samaria,  when  Philip  was  there  already,  and 
employed  continually  in  working  other  miracles.  But  this,  though 
highly  necessary  for  confirming  the  faith  of  the  Samaritans  in  the 
Christian  doctrine,  was  not  within  his  ability  to  perform.  The  case 
of  Paul  can  hardly  be  deemed  an  exception  to  this  rule;  for  he 
had  seen  Jesus,  and  received  the  knowledge  of  the  gospel  from  his 
mouth,  and  had,  therefore,  all  the  characteristics  of  an  apostle. 
We  may  observe,  also,  that  these  Samaritans  were  baptized  into  the 
name  of  Jesus  only,  and  that,  therefore,  this  method  of  baptizing 
is  to  be  regarded  as  legitimate  and  proper.  The  communication  of 
miraculous  powers  followed  the  laying  on  of  the  hands  of  the 
apostles,  in  order  to  show  that  the  gifts  proceeded  from  them,  or 
rather,  that  they  were  the  eflccts  of  their  prayers  ;  in  the  same 
manner  as  a  miraculous  cure  followed  the  touch,  or  the  laying  on 
of  the  hand,  of  Christ. 

18.  And  when  Simon  saw  that  through  laying  on 
of  the  apostles'  hands  the  Holy  Spirit  was  given,  he 
offered  them  money. 

19.  Saying,    Give    me    also   this  power,   that  on 


viii.  1—25.)  ACTS.  93 

whomsoever   I    lay   hands,    he  may  receive  the  Holy 

Spirit. 

By  this  proposal,  it  appears  that  Simon  regarded  the  power  of 
bestowing  miraculous  gifts  as  an  art  which  the  apostles  had  learnt 
by  their  own  skill,  or  the  instructions  of  others,  and  which  they 
would  be  ready  to  communicate,  if  well  paid  for  the  discovery. 
He  could  not,  therefore,  believe  that  they  came  from  God,  or,  at 
least,  did  not  properly  consider  the  important  purpose  for  which 
they  were  now  employed.  He  imagined,  no  doubt,  that  if  he 
could  purchase  this  power,  it  would  prove  an  extremely  profitable 
acquisition,  and  soon  repay  the  sum  which  he  might  expend. 
Peter  received  the  proposal  with  indignation  and  horror. 

20.  But    Peter  said  unto  him,  Thy  money  perish 

with  thee,   because  thou  hast  thought  that  the  gift  of 

God  may  be  purchased  with  money, 

These  terms  are  not  to  be  interpreted  literally,  as  if  Peter  really 
wished  for  the  destruction  of  Simon,  as  well  as  of  his  money ;  but 
he  uses  strong  and  familiar  terms  of  indignation,  which,  like 
other  terms  of  that  nature,  often  express  more  than  is  intended. 
It  is  as  if  he  had  said,  Away  with  thee  and  thy  money. 

21.  Thou  hast  neither  part  nor  lot  in  this  macter, 

"  ill  this  doctrine,''''  for  thy  heart   is  not  right  in  the 

sight  of  God. 

Though  thou  hast  professed  Christianity,  thou  art  entitled  to 
none  of  its  rewards ;  for  these  are  promised  to  the  virtuous  only  ; 
whereas  thou  hast  now  betrayed  the  depravity  of  thy  heart. 

22.  Repent,  therefore  of  this  thy  wickedness,  and 
pray  God,  if  perhaps  the  thought  of  thy  heart  may  be 
forgiven  thee. 

If  Simon  considered  miraculous  gifts  as  the  effects  of  divine 
power,  nothing  could  be  a  higher  affront  to  the  Divine  Being,  than 
his  offer  to  buy  them  with  money,  as  if  he  could  be  tempted  with 
gold  or  silver  :  or  if  he  considered  them  as  the  effects  of  human 
skill  or  knowledge,  to  wish  to  purchase  them  for  the  purposes  of 
fraud  and  imposture,  was  little  less  criminal.  In  either  case  the 
offence  was  great,  and  nothing  but  contrition  could  afford  hope  of 
forgiveness. 

23.  For  I   perceive  that  thou   art  in   the  gall   of 

bitterness,  and  in  the  bond  of  iniquity. 

Thou  art  in  the  most  wretched  condition,  a  slave  to  thy  vices. 
He  was  still  pursuing  the  same  wicked  designs  in  which  he  had  been 
engaged  before.  This  severe,  but  just  reproof,  awakened  the 
apprehensions  of  Simon,  and  made  him  afraid  that  he  should  be 
punished  with  some  signal  judgment. 

24.  Then  answered  Simon,  and  said,  Pray  ye  to 


94  ACTS.  (viii.  1—26. 

the   Lord  for  me,  that  none  of  these  things  which  ye 

have  spoken  come  upon  me. 

It  might  be  supposed,  from  this  language,  that  he  was  become 
duly  sensible  of  his  guilt,  as  well  as  aware  of  his  danger.  Yet  it 
is  the  general  opinion  of  ecclesiastical  writers,  that  he  remained  to 
his  death  an  unbeliver,  and  a  violent  opposer  of  Christianity. 

25.  And  they,  when  they  had  testified  and 
preached  the  word  of  the  Lord,  returned  to  Jerusa- 
lem, and  preached  the  gospel  in  many  villages  of  the 
Samaritans. 


REFLECTIONS. 


1.  In  the  last  section  I  had  occasion  to  notice  the  benefit  which 
Christianity  derives  from  the  martyrdom  of  Stephen  and  other  first 
believers ;  since  their  testimony  in  its  favour,  with  the  prospect  of 
immediate  death  before  them,  affords  the  strongest  proof  that 
could  be  given  of  their  persuasion  of  its  truth  and  divine  origin, 
and,  therefore,  lays  a  good  foundation  for  the  like  persuasion  in 
others,  in  the  most  distant  places  and  most  remote  generations. 
We  are  now  called  to  observe  the  good  effects  of  an  inferior 
degree  of  persecution,  which  spares  men's  lives,  but  harasses  their 
persons  and  confiscates  their  property.  By  dispersing  them  in 
various  directions,  it  proves  the  means  of  diffusing  the  knowledge 
of  the  truth  through  a  wide  extent  of  country  ;  for  they  go  every 
where,  preaching  the  word.  Thus  do  the  storms  of  persecution  in 
the  moral  world  resemble  the  effects  of  the  winds  in  the  natural, 
which  disperse  the  clouds,  and  make  them  descend  in  showers  in 
distant  regions.  Here,  then,  we  see  the  wisdom  of  God  counter- 
acting the  designs  of  man,  and  rendering  those  means  which  were 
employed  to  suppress  and  destroy  the  truth,  subservient  to  its 
further  diffusion  and  establishment.  Let  us  not  then  hastily 
arraign  the  conduct  of  providence,  when  we  see  the  wise  and 
good  persecuted  and  oppressed ;  nor  let  us  murmur  or  complain, 
when  we  ourselves  suffer  in  a  good  cause.  We  are  probably  doing 
more  essential  service  to  mankind  by  our  sufferings,  than  we  could 
do  in  any  other  way. 

2.  The  conduct  of  Peter,  in  rejecting  money  with  indignation, 
when  offered  him  upon  dishonourable  terms,  deserves  our  admira- 
tion and  applause.  He  hereby  showed  that,  in  preaching  the 
gospel,  he  had  some  nobler  object  in  view  than  enriching  and 
aggrandizing  himself,  and  that  his  sole  motive  for  entering  upon 
the  course  of  life  in  which  he  had  now  engaged,  was  to  fulfil  the 
purposes  of  Divine  Providence,  and  to  promote  the  interests  of 
mankind,  by  communicating  the  most  important  truth.  In  such 
an  honourable  employment,  he  is  willing  to  remain  poor,  and  to 
trust  for  protection  and  support  to  the   favour  of  heaven  and  the 


viii.  26—40.  ACTS.  95 

charity  of  the  benevolent.  And  in  doii  g  so,  he  has  wiped  away 
all  suspicion  of  interested  views  from  himself  and  his  associates, 
as  well  as  adhered  to  the  injunction  of  his  divine  Master :  "  Freely 
ye  have  received,  freely  give." 

In  this  behaviour  let  other  Christians  learn  to  imitate  Peter. 
Let  no  regard  to  money,  or  any  worldly  interest,  induce  them  to 
conceal  or  renounce  the  truth,  or  to  violate  any  duty  which  they 
owe  to  God  and  man.  For  this  honourable  integrity  they  may  be 
condemned  to  live  in  poverty  ;  but  they  will  find  more  peace  of 
mind  in  that  condition,  than  all  the  splendour  of  riches  could  be- 
stow ;  and  what  they  lose  in  temporal  emoluments  in  this  life, 
will  be  amply  repaid  at  the  resurrection  of  the  just. 

I  shall  here  subjoin  the  observation  of  a  learned  commentator  : 
(Dr.  Benson  :) — "  From  this  crime  of  Simon,  a  purchasing  the 
ministerial  function  with  money  or  bribes  was  called  Simony,  in 
the  ancient  canons  of  the  Christian  church.  But  it  is  now  called 
so,  to  procure  ecclesiastical  benefices  by  bribing  and  corrupting 
such  as  have  the  disposal  of  them.  Nor  can  they  who  take  such 
bribes  be  wholly  clear  of  all  crime. 


SECTION  XII. 
Conversion  of  the  queen  of  ^Ethiopia's  treasurer. 

Acts  viii.  26—40. 

26.  And  an  angel  of  the   Lord  spake   untoPhilip, 

saying,    Arise,    and    go    toward     the     south,     unto 

the  way  that  goeth  down  from  Jerusalem  unto  Gaza, 

which  is  desert. 

As  Stephen  had  called  the  voice  that  spake  to  Moses  from  the 
bash  an  angel  of  the  Lord,  it  is  possible  that  what  is  here  called 
an  angel  might  be  something  of  the  same  kind,  that  is,  a  miracu- 
lous voice  from  heaven,  or,  perhaps  a  secret  suggestion  of  the 
Spirit.  This  supposition  seems  so  be  confirmed  by  what  is  said 
below  in  verse  the  twenty-ninth,  where  we  are  told  that  not  an 
angel,  but  the  Spirit,  gave  directions  to  Philip  how  to  act;  although 
it  be  highly  probable  that  the  second  directions  came  from  the 
same  instrument,  whatever  it  might  be,  as  the  first.  It  is  not  easy 
to  determine  whether  the  word  desert  in  this  verse  belong  to  the 
town  of  Gaza,  or  to  the  road  which  led  from  Jerusalem  to  it,  being 
equally  applicable  to  both.  For  the  town  was  in  ruins,  and  the 
road  to  it  passed  through  a  desert  country. 

27.  And  he  arose  and  went ;  and  behold  an 
eunuch  of  ^Ethiopia,  of   great  authority  under  Can- 


96  ACTS.  (viii.  26—40. 

dace,  queen  of  the  .Ethiopians,  who  had  the  charoe 
of  all  her  treasure,  and  had  come  to  Jerusalem  for  to 
worship, 

28.  Was  returning,  and,  sitting  in  his  chariot,  read 

Isaiah  the  prophet. 

This  man  was  probably  a  Jew  by  descent,  although  a  native  of 
^Ethiopia  ;  which  will  not  appear  extraordinary,  considering  that 
there  was  a  great  body  of  Jews  at  Alexandria  in  Egypt,  a  neigh- 
bouring country.  Notwithstanding  the  prejudices  which  prevailed 
among  the  Gentiles  against  that  people,  he  had  recommended 
himself  by  his  talents  to  the  first  post  in  the  court  of  the  queen  of 
that  part  of  /Ethiopia  which  bordered  upon  Egypt.  Like  other 
foreign  Jews,  he  went  up  to  Jerusalem,  at  one  of  the  great  festi- 
vals, to  worship  God.  A  queen  of  this  part  of  yli^thiopia,  of  this 
name  is  mentioned  by  Pliny,  and  other  heathen  writers  ;*  which 
circumstance  may  be  regarded  as  a  confirmation  of  the  truth  of 
the  Scripture  history. 

29.  Then  the  Spirit  said  unto  Philip,  Go  near, 
and  join  thyself  to  this  chariot. 

30.  And  Philip  ran  thither  to  him,  and  heard  him 
read  the  prophet  Isaiah,  and  said,  Understandest  thou 
what  thou  readcst  ? 

31.  And  he  said.  How  can  I,  except  some  man 
should  guide  me  ?  And  he  desired  Philip  that  he 
would  come  up  and  sit  with  him. 

32.  The  place  of  the    Scripture  which  he  read, 

was  this  ;  He  was  led  as  a  sheep  to  the  slaughter,  and 

like    a   Iamb   dumb   before    the   shearer,  ^^  before  the 

butcher,^^  so  he  opened  not  his  mouth. 

This  prophecy  is  found  in  Isaiah  liii.  The  first  part  of  the 
verse  refers  to  slaughter ;  it  is  more  probable,  therefore,  that  the 
last  clause  refers  likewise  to  the  same  subject,  and,  agreeably  to 
this  supposition,  it  is  found  that  both  the  Greek  and  Hebrew  word 
signifies  a  destroyer,  or  devourer,  as  well  as  a  shearer.! 

33.  In  his  humiliation  his  judgment  was  taken 
away,  "  his  condemnation  ivas  extorted,''''  and  who 
shall  declare  his  generation  ?  i.  c.  "  the  men  of  his  gen- 
eration who  shall  be  able  to  describe,''^  on  account  of 
their  ivickedness  ?  for  his  life  is  taken  from  the  earth,  t 

In  the  former  of  these  two  verses,  the  prophet  predicts  the 
silence   and   patience   of  Jesus,   on   tv/o  very   remarkable   occa- 

*  See  Doddridge,  Benson,  Harwood.     t  Wakefield's  Note  and  Silva  Ciii.  I.  p.  '13. 
t  Dodson's  Isaiah. 


viii.  2G— 40.)  ACTS.  97 

sions,  his  trial  and  his  execution.  In  the  other,  he  foretels 
that  his  condemnation  would  be  extorted,  and  not  the  result  of 
free  opinion.  The  prophet  also  expresses  his  astonishment  at  the 
wickedness  of  the  people,  who  could  accomplish  the  death  of  so 
innocent  and  excellent  a  person  by  such  means.  In  giving  this 
character  of  the  Jews  of  that  age,  he  is  supported  not  only  by  the 
testimony  of  the  evangelists,  but  also  by  that  of  Josephus,  the 
Jawish  historian. 

34.  And  the  eunuch  answered  Philip,  and  said,  I 
pray  thee,  of  whom  speaketh  the  prophet  this  ?  Of 
himself,  or  of  some  other  man  ? 

35.  Then  Philip  opened  his  mouth,  and  began    at 

the  same  Scripture,  and  preached  unto  him  Jesus. 

He  took  occasion,  from  this  passage,  to  show  how  exactly  the 
character  and  sufferings  of  Jesus  corresponded  with  the  prediction 
of  the  prophet,  and  to  infer  hence  that  he  must  be  the  Messiah 
promised  to  the  Jews. 

36.  And  as  they  went  on  their  way,  they  came 
unto  a  certain  water  :  and  the  eunuch  said.  See,  here 
is  water  :  what  doth  hinder  me  to  be  baptized  ? 

37.  And  Philip  said,  if  thou  believest  with  all  thy 
heart.  If  thou  art  perfectly  convinced  of  the  truth  of 
the  Christian  doctrine,  thou  mayest.  And  he  answer- 
ed and  said,  I  believe  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son  of 
God. 

This  verse  is  omitted  in  the  Alexandrian  and  many  other  man- 
uscripts, and  is,  therefore,  probably  an  addition  to  the  text,  made 
by  some  one  who  intended  to  supply  what  he  conceived  a  proper 
answer  to  the  eunuch's  question.*  But  even  if  it  were  genuine,  it 
would  argue  great  ignorance,  to  infer  from  Philip's  calling  Christ 
the  Son  of  God,  that  he  had  instructed  the  eunuch  in  the  doctrine 
of  Christ's  divinity  ;  nothing  being  more  clear  than  that  the  Son 
of  God  signifies,  in  the  language  of  the  Jews  of  Christ's  time,  no 
more  than  Messiah  or  Christ,  that  is,  the  highly-favoured  messen- 
ger of  God. 

38.  And  he  commanded  the  chariot  to  stand  still ; 
and  they  went  down  both  into  the  ^vater,  both  Philip 
and  the  eunuch,  and  he  baptized  him. 

39.  And  when  they  were  come  up  out  of  the 
water,  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  cauo;ht  away  Philip,  and 
the  eunuch  saw  him  no  more  ;  for  he  went  on  his 
way  rejoicing. 

*  It  is  omillcd  by  Griesbach. 
VOL.    III.  N 


98  ACTS.  (viil.  2G— 40. 

His  going  on  liis  way  is  assigned  as  tlie  reason  why  lie  saw 
Pliilip  no  more  ;  it  may  be  doubted,  therefore,  whether  tlie  expres- 
sion, "the  Spirit  caught  away,  or  took  away,  Philip,"  refers  to 
liis  being  miraculously  conveyed  through  the  air,  as  seems  to  have 
been  the  case  with  some  of  the  ancient  prophets  ;  or  merely  to 
his  being  directed  to  leave  him.  The  eunuch  went  on  rejoicing, 
both  because  he  was  relieved  from  the  perplexity  which  he  before 
experienced  respecting  the  passage  which  he  was  reading,  and 
likewise  because  of  his  faith  in  the  Christian  religion,  which 
affords  just  ground  for  joy.  Some  manuscriptst  add  to  this  verse, 
"  The  Holy  Spirit  fell  upon  the  eunuch ;'  but,  as  none  except 
the  apostles  appear  to  have  had  the  power  of  communicating  mira- 
culous gifts,  it  is  probable  that  this  is  a  spurious  addition  to  the  text. 

40.  But  Philip  was  found,  or^  "  appeared,^^  at 
Azotus  ;  the  Ashdoil  of  the  Old  Testament ;  and,  pass- 
ing through,  he  preached  in  all  the  cities,  till  he  came 
to  Cnesarea. 


REFLECTIONS. 

1 .  We  may  observe  how  honourable  is  the  character  here  given 
of  the  /Ethiopian  treasurer.  He  is  not  ashamed  of  his  religion  in 
a  foreign  country,  nor  in  a  luxurious  court,  but  cheerfully  exposes 
himself  to  all  the  ridicule,  and  all  the  contempt,  which  the  public 
avowal  of  it  would  necessarily  bring  upon  him,  from  his  fellow- 
courtiers.  Notwithstanding  the  importance  of  his  office,  he  under- 
takes a  long  journey  to  fulfil  his  duty  as  a  Jew,  and  employs  the 
leisure  which  that  journey  affords,  in  reading  the  Scriptures. 
Such  fortitude,  piety,  and  zeal,  reflect  more  lustre  upon  his  char- 
acter, than  all  the  honours  conferred  upon  him  by  his  royal 
mistress.  Justly  were  they  rewarded  by  an  early  communication 
of  the  gospel  of  salvation,  and  with  a  place  in  these  pages,  in  which 
he  will  be  handed  down  to  all  succeeding  generations. 

Happy  are  they  who,  like  this  nobleman,  have  courage  to  avow 
their  religious  principles  in  the  most  trying  situations  ;  who,  amidst 
the  cares  and  pleasures  of  exalted  stations  and  important  employ- 
ments, can  find  leisure  to  attend  to  the  duties  of  religion,  and  to 
improve  their  minds  in  useful  knowledge.  They  will  find  that  the  time 
thus  employed  has  not  been  spent  in  vain.  In  the  principles  which 
they  hereby  acquire,  they  will  experience  support  when  every 
earthly  succour  fails.  The  favour  of  princes  is  uncertain,  and 
soon  lost.  All  worldly  grandeur  will  cease  at  death,  if  not  before  ; 
but  of  the  delightful  prospects  and  divine  consolations  which  re- 
ligion aflfords,  men  can  never  be  deprived.  These  will  follow 
thera  to  the  grave,  and  live  beyond  it.     Let  no  business  or  station 

*  See  GrieiibAclt. 


ix.  1—19.)  ACTS.  99 

induce  us  to  neglect  what  is  so  necessary  to  our  welfare.     It  is  the 
only  consolation  of  the  poor;  the  last  resource  of  the  rich. 

2.  When  reading  the  Scriptures,  let  us  often  put  to  ourselves 
the  question  proposed  by  Philip  to  this  treasurer  of  ^Ethiopia, 
Understandest  thou  what  thou  readest  ?  Unless  our  reading  be 
accompanied  with  the  knowledge  of  the  sentiments  of  the  author, 
it  is  of  no  value,  and  the  time  employed  in  it  is  wasted  and  mis- 
spent. To  acquire  this  understanding  of  the  Scriptures,  is  not  so 
easy  as  some  imagine.  These  sacred  writings  have  suffered  so 
much  injury  from  time,  and  the  carelessness  of  those  through 
whose  hands  they  have  passed ;  theii  phraseology,  and  the  man- 
ners of  ancient  times,  are  so  different  from  those  of  the  modern, 
and  they  have  been  so  perverted  by  false  glosses  and  interpreta- 
tions, that  it  often  requires  great  attention  and  care  to  discover 
their  true  meaning.  To  this  object  let  our  attention  be  directed, 
with  unceasing  diligence  ;  and  let  us  judge  of  our  value  of  these 
sacred  records  of  divine  truth,  not  by  the  time  which  we  spend  in 
reading  them,  but  by  the  labour  which  we  employ  to  ascertain 
their  sense,  and  by  the  proficiency  which  we  make  in  divine 
knowledge.  In  examining  the  Scriptures,  let  us  not  despise  the 
assistance  of  any,  but  be  ready,  like  this  eunuch,  to  receive 
information  from  every  quarter. 

3.  We  learn  from  this  story,  that  a  belief  in  the  gospel  of 
Christ  affords  just  ground  for  joy.  The  treasurer  of  ^Ethiopia, 
after  believing  and  being  baptized,  went  on  his  way  rejoicing. 
And  Christians  of  the  present  day  have  a  like  reason  for  gladness. 
Their  religion  removes  all  painful  apprehensions  from  the  minds  of 
the  guilty,  by  assuring  them  of  pardon  :  it  furnishes  the  best  rules 
for  the  direction  of  their  conduct  in  future,  and  it  promises  the 
the  virtuous  a  resurrection  from  the  dead  to  eternal  life.  Those 
who  enjoy  such  blessings,  and  who  entertain  such  hopes,  may  well 
rejoice. 


SECTION  XIII. 
The  conversion  of  Saul. 

Acts,  ix    I — 19. 


1.  And  Saul,  yet  breathing  out  threatenings  and 
slaughter  agamst  the  disciples  of  the  Lord,  went  unto 
the  high-priest, 

2.  And  desired  of  him  letters  to  Damascus,  to  the 
synagogues,  that  if  he  found  any  of  this  way,  wheth- 
er they  were  men  or  women,  he  might  bring  them 
bound  unto  Jerusalem. 


100  ACTS.  (ix.  1—19. 

Saul  was  exasperated  to  the  highest  degree  to  find  that  those 
ivhoni  he  had  driven  from  Judaea,  by  persecution,  were  employed 
in  propagating  the  same  doctrine  in  the  places  to  which  they  fled  ; 
he  resolves,  therefore,  to  pursue  them  whithersoever  they  go. 
Damascus  was  a  city  of  Syria,  in  which  there  were  many  Jews. 
And  it  appears  by  the  letters  now  granted  to  Saul,  that  the  Romans 
allowed  the  Jewish  high-priest  to  exercise  authority  over  those  of 
the  Jewish  religion  who  resided  in  foreign  countries. 

3.  And  as  he  journeyed,  he  came  near  Damascus, 
and  suddenly  there  shined  round  about  him  a  light 
from  heaven. 

The  other  accounts  which  Paul  gives  of  this  transaction,  say 
that  it  took  place  at  noon,  and  that  the  light  exceeded  the  bright- 
ness of  the  sun.  They  also  say  that  it  appeared  to  his  compan- 
ions, as  well  as  to  himself.     Acts  xxii.  xxvi. 

4.  And  he  fell  to  the  earth,  as  his  companions  did 
likewise,  and  heard  a  voice,  saying,  Saul,  Saul,  why 
persecutest  thou  me  ? 

5.  And  he  said.  Who  art  thou.  Lord  ?  And  the 
Lord  said,  I  am  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  whom  thou 
persecutest. 

The  remainder  of  this  verse,  and  a  great  part  of  the  next  are 
omitted  in  the  best  manuscripts,  and  were  probably  inserted  here 
by  mistake,  from  other  accounts  of  this  transaction,  in  which  they 
are  found.  The  ready  answer  which  Saul  gives  to  the  question 
proposed  to  him,  shows  that  he  could  not  be  struck  to  the  ground 
by  lightning ;  for  that  deprives  men  of  the  use  of  their  mental 
faculties,  as  well  as  of  their  sight. 

6.  But  arise  and  go  into  the  city,  and  it  shall  be 
told  thee  what  thou  must  do. 

7.  And  the  men,  which  journeyed  with  him,  stood 
speechless,  hearing  a  voice,  but  seeing  no  man. 

In  the  parallel  passage.  Acts  xxii.  9,  we  are  told  that  the  attend- 
ants heard  not  the  voice  of  him  that  spake  to  him.  To  reconcile 
these  two  places,  it  has  been  supposed,  that  they  heard  indeed  a 
voice,  but  no  articulate  sound,  so  as  to  understand  what  was  said. 
Thus  when  Daniel  saw  a  vision,  Daniel  x.  7,  the  men  that  were 
with  him  saw  nothing. 

8.  And  Saul  arose  from  the  earth,  and  when  his 
eyes  were  opened,  he  saw  no  man,  "5rt?t'  nothing,^^ 
i.  e.  he  was  blind;  but  they  led  him  by  the  hand,  and 
brought  him  into  Damascus. 


ix.  1—19.)  ACTS.  101 

9.  And  he   was  three  days   without   sight,    and 

neither  did  eat  nor  drink. 

During  this  time,  he  was,  no  doubt,  employed  in  deep  reflections 
upon  the  vision,  which  he  had  just  seen  upon  the  evidences  of  the 
divine  origin  of  the  Christian  religion,  upon  his  own  guilt  in 
opposing  it,  and  in  praying  to  God  to  forgive  his  offence.  The 
result  was,  that  he  was  convinced  of  the  divine  mission  of  Jesus, 
and  that  God  heard  his  prayer,  as  appears  from  what  follows. 
His  fasting  was  the  effect  of  the  agitation  of  his  mind. 

10.  And  there  was  a  certain  disciple  at  Damascus, 
named  Ananias  ;  and  to  him  said  the  Lord  in  a  vision, 
Ananias !  And  he  said,  Behold,  I  am  here,  Lord. 

n.  And  the  Lord  said  unto  him.  Arise,  and  go 
into  the  street  which  is  called  Straight,  and  inquire  in 
the  house  of  Judas  for  one  called  Saul  of  Tarsus : 
for,  behold,  he  prayeth, 

12.  And  hath  seen  in  a  vision,  a  man  named 
Ananias,  coming  in,  and  putting  his  hand  on  him, 
that  he  might  receive  his  sight. 

Saul  might  well  consider  his  blindness  as  a  punishment  inflicted 
upon  him  by  Heaven,  for  the  evil  purpose  which  he  had  entertain- 
ed ;  and  therefore,  earnestly  prays  for  the  restoration  of  his  sight, 
as  a  proof  of  the  divine  forgiveness.  To  assure  him  of  this  for- 
giveness, he  was  favoured  with  the  above-mentioned  vision,  and 
Ananias  is  sent  to  confer  upon  him  a  miraculous  cure. 

13.  Then  Ananias  answered,  Lord,  I  have  heard 

by  many  of  this  man,  how  much  evil  he  hath  done  to 

thy  saints  at  Jerusalem. 

The  word  saints,  in  this  passage,  has  no  reference  to  moral 
character,  but  is  used  to  denominate  persons  who,  by  the  profes- 
sion of  faith  in  Christ,  had  become  parties  in  that  new  covenant 
which  God  had  now  established  with  all  believers  in  the  divine  mis- 
sion of  his  Son,  as  he  had  established  the  old  covenant  with  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel.  Christians  were  now  become  ceremonially  clean 
and  holy,  as  the  Israelites  were  formerly,  and  were  therefore  called 
saints. 

14.  And  here  he  hath  authority  from  the  chief 
priests,  to  bind  all  that  call  upon  thy  name;  ^Uobind 
all  that  call  themselves  by  thy  name.^^ 

As  the  disciples  of  Jesus  were  never  directed  to  address  their 
prayers  to  him,  and  as  it  does  not  appear  that  it  was  their  common 
practice,  whatever  they  might  do  on  particular  occasions,  it  is  not 
likely  that  they  should  be  characterized  by  this  circumstance. 
The  words,  besides,  admit  of  a  different  construction,  such  as  has 


103  xYCTS.  (ix.  1—19. 

just  been  given.*  That  Christians  should  distinguish  themselves 
from  other  Jews  by  the  name  of  tlieir  Master,  at  a  very  early 
period,  is  highly  probable;  although  the  name  of  Christian  might 
not  be  current  till  some  time  afterwards. 

15.  But  the  Lord  said   unto  him,   Go  thy  way  ; 

for  he   is  a   chosen  vessel  unto  me,  to  bear  my  name 

before  the  gentiles,  "  before  nations,^''  and  kings,  and 

the  children  of  Israel  : 

Christ  here  informs  Ananias,  that  Paul  was  not  to  be  neglected, 
since  he  intended  to  employ  him  in  the  most  important  services, 
for  the  propagation  of  his  religion  in  the  world,  and  since  he  was 
well  qualified  for  the  purpose. 

16.  For  I  will  show  by  him  what  ought  to  be  suf- 
fered for  my  name's  sake. 

In  this  manner  some  good  judgest  render  this  passage,  supposing 
only  that  a  single  word  has  been  added  to  the  text,  which  is  also 
omitted  in  a  few  manuscripts.  It  will  then  furnish  a  sense  ex- 
tremely well  adapted  to  the  occasion.  For  the  meaning  will  be 
that  Christ  would  give  an  example,  in  the  sufferings  which  Paul 
would  voluntarily  endure,  in  promoting  the  gospel,  of  what  every 
man  ought  to  be  willing  to  suifer  for  his  sake.  Accordingly, it  appears 
by  the  subsequent  history,  that  the  sufferings  of  Paul  were  more  nu- 
merous and  distinguished  than  those  of  any  other  of  the  apostles.  If 
the  common  reading  be  retained, Christ  declares  that  he  w'ill  commu- 
nicate to  Paul,  a  knowledge  of  the  great  sufferings  which  he  should 
afterwards  endure  in  his  cause. 

17.  And  Ananias  went  his  way,  and  entered  into 
the  house,  and,  putting  his  hands  on  him,  said.  Broth- 
er Saul,  the  Lord  (even  Jesus,  that  appeared  to  thee 
in  the  way,  as  thou  camest)  hath  sent  me,  that  thou 
mightest  receive  thy  sight,  and  be  filled  with  the 
Holy  Spirit. 

As  Ananias  was  to  tell  Saul  what  he  was  to  do,  it  is  probable, 
that  he  instructed  him  in  the  nature  of  the  Christian  religion, 
although  it  be  not  here  mentioned. 

18.  And  immediately  there  fell  from  his  eyes 
something  like  scales,  and  he  received  sight  forthwith, 
and  arose,  and  was  baptized. 

19.  And  when  he  had  received  meat  he  was 
strengthened. 

*  Lindsey's  Dissert,  on  praying  to  Christ,  p.  93,  &,c. 
t  See  Markland  in  Bowj-er,  and  Wakefield. 


ix.  1—19.)  ACTS.  103 


REFLECTIONS. 

1.  This  story  furnishes  an  example  of  a  wonderful  change 
produced  in  an  individual  in  a  very  sliort  time. 

He  who  was  lately  an  inveterate  enemy,  is  become  a  sincere 
and  zealous  friend.  lie  who  breathed  out  threatening  and  slaugh- 
ter against  the  church,  whose  fury  is  not  satiated  with  the 
havoc  which  it  makes  at  home,  but  pursues  its  victims  into  foreign 
countries,  has  assumed  the  mildness  of  the  lamb,  and  breathes  the 
spirit  of  benevolence  and  atlection  to  those  who  were  before  de- 
tested and  persecuted.  He  who  was  the  inveterate  agent  of  the 
high-priest  and  Jewish  Sanhedrim  ;  he  whose  zeal  would  entitle 
him  to  what  preferment  he  pleased,  renounces  all  connexion  with 
his  employers,  abandons  his  ambitious  projects,  esteems  it  an 
honour  to  be  ranked  among  the  followers  of  Jesus,  and  is  willing 
to  be  treated  with  the  same  contempt  and  injustice  with  which  he 
treated  Christians.  He  who  blasphemed  Jesus  himself,  by  calling 
him  an  impostor,  and  compelled  others  to  do  so,  now  falls  down 
before  him,  calls  him  Lord  and  Master,  and  is  happy  to  enlist 
himself  in  his  service.  How  astonishing  a  change,  and  produ- 
ced in  three  days  only  !  Yet, 

2.  There  is  nothing  unnatural  or  accountable  in  this  change. 
It  arose  from  a  sufficient  and  adequate  cause.  It  was  the  natural 
and  genuine  effect  of  truth  upon  an  unenlightened  and  bigoted, 
but  not  vicious  and  hardened,  mind.  It  was  the  result  of  convic- 
tion, produced  by  an  evident  miracle,  and  undeniable  fact,  per- 
formed at  mid-day,  and  not  in  the  darkness  of  the  night,  when  the 
senses  are  so  liable  to  be  deceived ;  before  one  who  was  not  alone, 
when  the  imagination  is  most  apt  to  be  at  work,  but  in  company 
with  his  attendants ;  not  coinciding  with,  and  inflaming  his  pre- 
judices, but  in  direct  opposition  to  them.  In  these  circumstances 
he  sees  a  light  which  nothing  could  counterfeit,  he  hears  a  voice 
which  speaks  to  him  in  articulate  sounds,  and  reproaches  him  for 
his  folly  and  rashness ;  he  has  such  full  possession  of  himself  as 
to  be  able  to  reply  to  what  he  hears.  What  could  this  appearance 
be,  but  the  miraculous  interposition  of  Heaven,  in  behalf  of  a 
cause  which  he  was  bent  upon  ruining.  Such  he  concluded  it  to 
be  at  the  time,  and  as  such  he  regarded  it  to  the  latest  period  of  his 
life.  To  listen  to  such  an  admonition,  to  desist  from  his  pursuit, 
and  to  abandon  his  prejudices,  at  such  a  call,  was  perfectly  just 
and  rational.  It  was  doing  no  more  than  what  every  ingenuous 
and  virtuous  mind  would  have  done  in  like  circumstances. 

3.  How  glorious  a  triumph  for  the  gospel  of  Christ  was  the 
conversion  of  this  persecutor  !  Far  more  honourable  than  his 
immediate  death  would  have  been.  How  strong  and  irresistible 
the  evidence  which  could  overcome  the  unbelief  supported  by 
the  prejudices  of  birth  and  education,  and  fortified  by  worldly  pre- 
ferment, by  the  fear  of  shame  and  of  suffering  !  What  satisfied 
the  mind  of  such  an  adversary,  may  surely  be  .sufficient  to  satisfy 


104  ACTS.  (ix.  19—31. 

the  mind  of  every  candid  and  rational  man,  through  all  future 
generations. 

4.  Let  all  persecutors  take  a  lesson  of  caution  from  the  exam- 
ple of  Saul.  No  one  could  be  more  confident  that  he  was  doing 
right  than  he ;  yet  he  found  himself  mistaken.  IIow  humbling 
must  it  be  to  human  pride,  to  be  comiielled  to  applaud  those  who 
were  once  so  severely  condemned ;  how  painful  to  the  conscience 
of  a  virtuous  man,  to  consider  himself  as  an  active  agent  in  injur- 
ing and  depreciating  the  friends  of  truth,  the  greatest  benefactors  of 
mankind,  the  favourite  servants  and  messengers  of  the  Most  High  ! 
Let  others,  who  are  now  zealous  and  active  in  opposing  what  they 
call  error,  and  who  scruple  not  to  have  recourse  to  violence  for 
this  purpose,  beware,  lest  they  be  found  one  day  guilty  of  a 
like  mistake,  and,  therefore,  suffer  the  same  shame  and  remorse. 


SECTION  XIV. 

Paul  having  provoked  the  enmity  of  the  Jews,  goes  first  to  Jerusa- 
lem, and  then  to  Tarsus. 

Acts  ix.  19—31. 

Before  I  enter  upon  this  history  it  is  necessary  that  I  observe, 
that  there  is  a  chasm  here  in  the  life  of  Paul,  of  no  less  than  three 
years,  of  which  time  Luke  takes  no  notice,  but  which  is  mentioned 
by  the  apostle  in  his  Epistle  to  the  Galatians,  chap.  i.  10,  &.c. 
where,  speaking  of  his  conversion,  he  says,  "  Immediately  I  con- 
ferred not  with  flesh  and  blood,  neither  went  I  up  to  Jerusalem,  to 
them  which  were  apostles  before  me,  but  I  went  into  Arabia,  and 
returned  again  to  Damascus.  Then,  after  three  years,  I  went  up 
to  Jerusalem  to  see  Peter."  These  three  years  some  suppose  him 
to  have  spent  in  preaching  the  gospel  to  the  Arabians.  But,  as 
this  is  no  where  mentioned,  either  by  himself,  or  by  Luke,  I  think 
it  more  probable,  that  the  time  was  employed  in  acquiring  a  knowl- 
edge of  the  principal  facts  and  doctrines  of  the  gospel  of  Christ, 
which,  he  tells  us,  he  received  by  immediate  revelation  from  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  in  reading  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New 
Testament,  and  particularly  in  studying  the  prophecies  which 
relate  to  the  Messiah,  and  in  receiving  miraculous  gifts,  with 
which  he  was  endued  in  as  extraordinary  a  degree  as  any  of  the 
apostles.  Being  thus  qualified  for  his  ofl^ice,  without  any  commu- 
nication with  the  apostles,  he  returned  to  Damascus,  and  began 
to  preach  the  gospel  in  that  city.  Here  it  is  that  Luke  takes  up 
his  history  again.* 

19.     Then  was  Saul  certain  days  with  the  disciples 
which  were  at  Damascus. 

*  Lardner,  article  Pi.utl,  Vol.  VI.  p.  25 1,  &c. 


'x.  19—31.)  ACTS.  105 

20.     And   straightway   he   preached    Jesus   in  the 
synagogues,  that  he  is  the  Son  of  God. 

Some  of  the  best  manuscripts  and  versions*  read  Jesus  instead 
of  Christ,  in  this  verse,  and  the  sense  seems  to  require  this  reading. 
For,  to  preach  Christ  to  be  the  Son  of  God  would,  in  the  appre- 
hension of  tlie  Jews,  be  quite  superfluous ,  for  Chr'ist  and  the  Son 
of  God  signitied  the  same  thing,  and  were  only  different  names  for 
the  Messiah.  Thus  John  the  evangelist  says,  that  he  wrote  his 
gospel,  that  they  might  believe  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  the  Son  of 
God.  Moreover,  by  the  Son  of  God,  the  apostle  did  not  mean  a 
being  derived  in  an  ineffable  manner  from  the  Father,  but  merely 
a  highly-favoured  messenger,  one  who  was  entrusted  \vith  a  more 
important  commission  than  any  preceding  prophet. 

21.  But  all  that  heard  him  were  amazed,  and  said, 
Is  not  this  he  that  destroyed  them  which  called  on 
this  name,  "  ivhich  ivere  called  after  this  name,^^  in 
Jerusalem,  and  came  hither  for  that  intent,  that  he 
might  bring  them  bound  unto  the  chief  priests.? 

So  extraordinary  a  change  appeared  incredible  to  them,  and 
their  incredulity  would  have  discouraged  a  mind  of  less  firmness 
than  Paul's;  but  he  was  continually  acquiring  fresh  confidence, 
arising  from  stronger  convictions  of  the  truth. 

22.  But  Saul  increased  the  more  in  strength, 
"  ivas  continually  more  confirmed,''^  i.  e.  in  the  faith, 
and  confounded  the  Jews  that  dwelt  at  Damascus, 
proving  that  this  is  very  Christ,  "  the  Christ:'' 

He  silenced  the  Jews  and  put  them  to  shame,  by  the  arguments 
which  he  produced  to  prove  that  Jesus  was  the  Messiah. 

It  is  here  that  some  persons  place  Paul's  Journey  to  Arabia,f 
and  suppose  that  the  preceding  verses  relate  to  his  preaching  at 
Damascus,  immediately  after  his  conversion.  But  it  is  not  likely 
that  a  proselyte  to  the  Christian  religion,  such  as  he  was,  would 
begin  to  preach  so  soon  after  he  became  one,  without  any  prepara- 
tion, or  that,  if  he  did  preach,  he  would  procure  to  himself  any 
attention.  Plis  retirement,  therefore,  probably  took  place  imme- 
diately after  his  call  from  heaven,  and  the  circumstances  which 
are  here  related,  may  very  well  be  supposed  to  have  happened  after 
his  return  from  Arabia.  But,  however  this  matter  be  determined, 
the  omission  of  this  journey  by  Luke,  while  it  is  mentioned  by 
Paul,  IS  one  of  those  variations  which  tends  to  confirm  rather  than 
to  destroy  the  authority  of  the  history  ;  since  it  shows  that  it  was  not 
written  in  concert  by  Luke  and  Paul.  Each  of  them,  therefore, 
may  be  regarded  as  independent  evidences  for  the  facts  wherein 
they  concur. 

'  Giiesbach  adopt*  ]>,«-c>v..  f  See  Paby'a  Hor«  Paullaje,  p.  160,  Not«. 

VOL.    IH.  e 


106  ACTS.  (ix.  19—31. 

23.  And  after  that  many  days  were  fulfilled,  the 
Jews  took  counsel  to  kill  him  ; 

That  is,  after  he  had  spent  some  time  at  Damascus,  and  had 
met  with  considerable  success  in  making  proselytes.  In  so  doing, 
they  paid  involuntary  homage  to  his  talents  and  his  zeal  ;  for  unless 
both  had  been  conspicuous,  their  fury  would  not  have  impelled 
them  to  so  desperate  a  measure. 

24.  (But  their  lying  in  wait  was  known  of  Saul ;) 
and  they  watched  the  gates,  day  and  night,  to  kill  him. 

25.  Then  the  disciples  took  him  by  night,  and  let 

him  down  by  the  wall  in  a  basket. 

Paul  gives  the  following  account  of  this  event  in  2  Cor.  xi.  B'i,  33- 
"In  Damascus,  the  governor  under  Aretas  the  king,  kept  the  city 
with  a  garrison,  desirous  to  apprehend  me  :  and  through  a  window 
in  a  basket  was  I  let  down  by  the  wall,  and  escaped  his  hands." 
This  Aretas  was  king  of  Arabia,  and  at  this  time  had  posses- 
sion of  Damascus,  where  the  Jews  prevailed  upon  the  deputy-gov- 
ernor to  grant  them  the  assistance  of  the  garrison  to  apprehend 
Paul.  But,  having  intelligence  of  their  design,  he  escaped  from 
their  hands. 

26.  And  when  Saul  was  come  to  Jerusalem,  he 
assayed  to  join  himself  to  the  disciples  ;  but  they 
were  all  afraid  of  him,  and  believed  not  that  he  was  a 
disciple. 

It  may  seem  strange  that  the  disciples  at  Jerusalem  should  not 
have  heard  of  the  conversion  of  Paul  by  this  time.  But  this  is  ac- 
counted for  by  the  violent  persecution  which  happened,  not  only 
in  Judaea,  but  also  in  other  places,  after  the  death  of  Stephen, 
which  prevented  the  Christians  at  Damascus  from  having  any 
communication  with  those  at  Jerusalem  ;  by  Paul's  retired  man- 
ner of  life  in  Arabia,  and  by  his  having  but  lately  begun  to  preach 
at  Damascus.  It  is  probable  too,  that  the  high-priest  would  not  be 
forward  to  publish  the  defection  of  so  active  an  agent  a  Paul. 

27.  But  Barnabas  took  him  and  brought  him  to 
the  apostles,  and  declared  unto  them  how  he  had  seen 
the  Lord  in  the  way,  and  that  he  had  spoken  to  him, 
and  how  he  had  preached  boldly  at  Damascus  in  the 
name  of  Jesus. 

Hence  it  has  been  inferred  that  Barnabas  was  an  old  acquaint- 
ance of  Paul ;  but  no  intimation  of  this  is  given  in  the  history, 
which  probably  would  have  been  the  case  had  it  been  true.  When 
Paul  returned  to  Jerusalem,  the  persecution  had  not  ceased  ;  the 
apostles  and  other  Christians  were,  therefore,  concealed,  and  it 
was  difficult  for  a  stranger  to  gain  access  to  them,  especially  for 
one  of  so  suspicious  a  character  as  Paul.      But  happening  to  meet 


ix.  19—31.)  ACTS.  107 

with  Barnabas,  and  informing  him  of  the  circumstances  of  his  con- 
version, ho  communicated  them  to  the  rest,  and  thus  procured  him 
admittance  into  their  company.  Paul  tells  us,  however,  in  the 
passage  before  referred  to,  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Galatians,  that  he 
only  saw  Peter  and  James  :  "  Other  of  the  apostles,"  says  he, 
"  saw  I  none."  They  might  possibly  be  absent  from  Jerusalem. 
After  he  had  seen  them,  he  was  received  by  the  brethren  in  general. 

28.  And  he  was  with  them  coming  in  and  going 
out  at  Jerusalem. 

29.  And  he  spake  boldly  in  the  name  of  the  Lord 

Jesus,  and  disputed  against  the  Grecians  : 

These  are  supposed  to  be  proselytes  to  the  Jewish  religion  from 
the  heathens  of  Asia,  who  were  in  general  called  Greeks  or 
Grecians ;  and  they  seemed  to  have  possessed  the  genuine  zeal  of 
proselytes,  by  the  account  here  given  of  them.* 

But  they  went  about  to  slay  him. 

30.  Which,  when  the  brethren  knew,  they  brought 
him  down  to  Cffisarea,  and  sent  him  forth  to  Tarsus. 

Tarsus  was  the  chief  city  of  Cilicia,  and  Paul's  native  place. 
Here  he  had  not  been  since  he  went  up  to  Jerusalem,  to  study  the 
law  under  Gamaliel.  He  probably  travelled  hither  by  land  ;  for  he 
tells  us  that  after  his  visit  to  Jerusalem,  he  went  into  the  parts  of 
Syria  and  Cilicia. t  In  this  journey,  he  probably  met  with  some 
of  those  dangers  which  he  describes  in  his  epistles,  and  of  which 
we  have  no  account  in  this  history.  The  Caesarea  here  spoken  of 
was  not  the  maritime  town  of  that  name,  so  often  mentioned  in 
the  book  of  Acts,  but  Coesarea  Philippi,  which  lay  to  the  north  of 
Judaea,  and  which  must  be  in  his  way  to  Tarsus  by  land. 

31.  Then  had  the  churches  rest  throughout  all 
Judasa,  and  Galilee,  and  Samaria,  and  were  edified, 
"  increased,'^  and,  walking  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord, 
and  in  the  comfort  of  the  Holy  Spirt,  were  multiplied. 

This  period  of  peace  is  said,  with  great  probability,  to  have 
been  occasioned  by  an  order  given  by  Caligula  to  Petronius,  governor 
of  Syria,  to  set  up  a  statue  of  the  emperor  in  the  temple  of  Jeru- 
salem, in  order  to  have  divine  honours  paid  to  it;  which  was  deem- 
ed so  great  a  profanation,  and  was  so  highly  offensive  to  the  Jews, 
as  to  divert  their  attention  from  the  persecution  of  Christians  to  a 
concern  for  the  security  of  their  own  religion. |  The  Christians 
increased  in  numbers  during  the  late  persecution,  as  appears  from 
the  churches  which  were  established  in  different  parts  of  the 
country,  and  they  continued  to  increase  during  this  period  of  rest, 
and  enjoyed,  at  the  same  time,  great  comfort  from  the  miraculous 
powers  which  they  possessed,  and  from  the  knowledge  of  true 
religion  which  they  acquired. 

*  Lardner,  Vol.  VI.  pp.  262, 26-1,  Nolc.    f  Doddridge,    t  Lardner  and  Doddridgs. 


108  ACTS.  (ix.  19—31. 


REFLECTIONS. 

1.  We  have  here  decisive  and  satisfactory  proof  of  the  sincer- 
ity of  Paul's  conversion  to  the  Christian  faith.  He  is  not  satisfied 
with  the  bare  profession  of  Christianity,  but  resolves  to  teach  it  to 
others.  He  undertakes  the  office  of  an  apostle  in  this  cause,  not 
hastily,  not  in  a  moment  of  rashness,  but  after  due  deliberation 
and  reflection  ;  not  in  a  foreign  country,  where  his  history  was  not 
known,  but  in  the  very  place  where  he  had  before  persecuted  the 
church,  or  where  he  intended  to  persecute,  where  he  had  reason  to 
suppose  that  the  story  of  his  conversion  would  be  well  known,  and 
where  it  was  most  likely  to  be  controverted  and  exploded,  if  a 
forgery;  and  where  he  might  probably  have  been  confronted  with 
the  companions  of  his  journey.  These  were  the  places  which  the 
apostle  chose  as  the  first  scene  of  his  ministry  ;  a  scene  where  he 
must  expect  to  encounter  the  bitter  reproaches  and  violent  ani- 
mosity of  his  former  associates  and  patrons,  and  where  his  life 
would  be  perpetually  in  danger.  Would  he  have  exposed  himself 
to  so  much  suffering  for  the  sake  of  a  falsehood  ?  If  he  were  not 
fully  convinced  of  the  truth  of  what  he  related,  would  he  have 
published  it  in  a  place  where  the  falsehood  was  most  likely  to  be 
detected  and  exposed  ? 

2.  We  see  also  a  striking  proof  of  his  benevolence.  He  was 
conscious,  no  doubt,  that  his  former  conduct  had  done  much  harm, 
not  only  to  those  who  were  the  objects  of  his  persecution,  but  also 
to  their  enemies,  by  inflaming  their  zeal  and  confirming  their  pre- 
judices. He  is  resolved,  therefore,  to  proclaim  the  truth  in  the  very 
place  where  his  errors  had  been  made  public,  that  he  may  thus 
prevent,  or  at  least  lessen,  the  mischief  which  his  former  conduct 
was  calculated  to  produce:  that  those  may  be  benefitted  by  his 
recantation  who  had  been  injured  by  his  mistakes.  He,  no  doubt, 
thought,  and  there  was  good  reason  to  believe,  that  his  appearance 
at  Jerusalem  as  a  Christian,  where  he  had  been  once  so  zealous 
an  opposer  of  Christianity,  would  attract  the  attention  of 
other  zealots,  lead  them  to  inquire  into  the  ground  of  the 
change,  and,  at  least,  moderate  their  zeal,  if  not  produce  a 
similar  change.  To  accomplish  so  important  an  object,  therefore, 
he  is  willing  to  ai)pear  in  the  humiliating  character  of  a  rash  and 
mistaken  man,  among  his  former  acquaintance  and  friends,  and  to 
risk  the  dangers  which  might  arise  from  the  same  zeal  by  which /«« 
was  once  animated. 

3.  We  see  that  the  gospel  of  Christ  spreads  under  all  circum- 
stances ;  which  is  a  plain  proof  that  it  is  founded  in  truth.  Persecu- 
tion proved  favourable  to  its  advancement,  by  dispersing  into  various 
distant  places  the  professors  of  this  religion,  who  carried  it  with 
them  where  it  was  not  before  known.  And  when  tranquillity 
returned,  the  fortitude  and  patience  of  the  first  Christians,  in  the 
profession  of  the  truth  in  the  hour  of  danger,  could  not  fail  to  make  a 
strong  impression  in  its  favour  on    the   minds   of  those  w  ho   had 


ix.  32—43.)  ACTS.  109 

been  spectators  of  their  conduct,  and  induce  great  numbers  to 
embrace  the  Christian  religion,  when  the  danger  arising  thence 
was  removed.  Tiiey  reasoned  then,  as  we  do  now,  that  facts,  in 
support  of  which  so  many  hazard  their  lives,  must  be  believed,  and, 
if  believed,  be  true. 


SECTION  XV. 

JEneas  is  cured  of  a  palsy,  and  Dorcas  raised  from  the  dead 
hy  Peter. 

Acts  ix.  32 — 45. 

32.  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  Peter  passed  through- 
out all  quarters,  he  came  down  also  to  the  saints 
which  dwelt  at  Lydda. 

As  Christians  were  no  longer  molested  by  their  enemies,  but 
allowed  a  free  intercourse  with  each  other,  Peter  took  advantage 
of  this  season  of  tranquillity,  to  visit  every  place  in  which  there 
were  any  brethren,  in  order  to  encourage  and  animate  them,  in 
the  profession  of  their  new  religion,  by  his  presence  and  exhorta- 
tions. Christians  are  here  called  saints,  not  with  any  reference  to 
their  moral  character,  as  if  they  had  better  claims  to  sanctity  than 
other  men,  but  merely  on  account  of  their  being  members  of  the 
Christian  community.  The  term  was  first  applied  to  those  who 
Jived  under  the  Mosaic  dispensation,  because  the  revelation  of  the 
divine  will  and  other  privileges  which  they  enjoyed,  consecrated 
them,  as  it  were,  to  God,  and  was  afterwards  applied  to  Christians, 
because  they  were  consecrated  in  a  similar  manner. 

SS.  And  there  he  found  a  certain  man  named 
iEneas,  who  had  kept  his  bed  eight  years,  being  ill  of 
the  palsy. 

34.  And  Peter  said  unto  him,  Jilneas,  Jesus 
Christ  maketh  thee  w  hole  :  arise,  and  make  thy  bed, 
*'  Arise  and  spread  thy  house  thyself,'^''  i.  e.  for  the 
reception  of  guests  ;  and  he  arose  immediately. 

From  the  common  translation  of  this  verse,  we  might  be  led  to 
suppose  that  ^neas  was  directed  by  Peter  to  rise  and  make  his 
bed,  that  he  might  lie  down  upon  it  again  immediately;  but  what 
occasion  for  lying  down,  if  he  was  really  cured  of  his  malady? 
We  cannot  suppose  that  the  cure  was  temporary,  and  only  contin- 
ued for  a  few  hours  ;  for  then  it  would  differ  from  all  the  other 
miracles  of  the  same  nature  mentioned  in  the  gospels;  or,  if  it 
should  be  imagined  that  he  was  directed  to  make  his  bed  for  the 
following  night,  this,  it  is  observed,  does  not  correspond  with  the 


110  ACTS.  (ix.  52--43. 

usage  in  eastern  countries,  where  beds  are  nothing  more  than 
mats  laid  upon  the  lloor,  which  arc  taken  up  and  laid  aside  in  the 
morning,  and  spread  again  at  night.  It  seems  much  more  proba- 
ble, therefore,  tliat  /Eneas  was  directed  by  Peter,  who  might  intend 
to  eat  bread  with  him,  to  spread  couches  or  carpets  for  his  guests 
himself,  in  order  to  prove  to  all  that  he  was  perfectly  recovered. 
To  spread  rooms  for  entertainments  in  this  manner,  is  perfectly 
agreeable  to  the  modern  practice  of  the  East,  and  was  probably 
the  ancient  custom  of  the  country.  For  we  find  an  allusion  to  it 
in  our  Lord's  time,  who  tells  his  disciples,  when  they  asked  him 
where  he  would  have  them  prepare  the  passover,  that  they  should 
find,  in  a  particular  place  which  he  pointed  out  to  them,  a  large 
upper  room  furnished,  in  the  original,  spread,  Mark  xiv.  15. ; 
Luke  xxii.  12,  that  is,  spread  with  carpets  or  couches.  Peter 
seems  to  have  required  from  ^^^^neas  something  like  what  his  wife's 
mother,  when  cured  of  a  fever,  performed  for  Jesus,  for  "  she 
arose,  and  ministered  unto  him."* 

35.  And  all  that  dwelt  at  Lydda  and  Saron  that 
had  turned  to  the  Lord,  saw  him. 

In  this  manner  this  verse  ought  to  be  rendered.  The  writer 
asserts  that  all  Christians  of  these  two  places,  being  probably 
assembled  together  to  hear  Peter  preach,  were  witnesses  of  the 
miraculous  cure  of  ^neas.  The  common  version  asserts  that  all 
the  inhabitants  of  Lydda  and  Saron  saw  him,  and  became  Christ- 
ians; a  change  which  is  very  unlikely,  considering  the  prejudices 
of  the  Jews ;  the  more  especially,  as  the  latter  of  these  two  places 
was  not  a  town,  but  a  district ;  and  is  by  no  means  countenanced 
by  the  words  of  the  original.  Luke  now  proceeds  to  give  an 
account  of  another  remarkable  miracle,  that  was  performed  at  the 
same  time. 

36.  Now  there  was  at  Joppa  a  certain  disciple 
named  Tabitha,  (which  by  interpretation  is  called 
Dorcas  :)  this  woman  was  full  of  good  works  and 
alms-deeds  which  she  did. 

37.  And  it  came  to  pass  in  those  days  that  she 
was  sick  and  died :  whom  when  they  had  washed, 
they  laid  her  in  an  upper  chamber. 

38.  And  forasmuch  as  Lydda  was  nigh  to  Joppa, 
and  the  disciples  had  heard  that  Peter  was  there,  they 
sent  unto  him  two  men,  desiring  him  that  he  would 
not  delay,  '•  thai  he  would  not  think  it  7nuch,^^f  to 
come  to  them. 

They  grounded  their  request  to  Peter  to  come  and  raise  her 

*  For  ihe  above  illustriilion  of  this  passage  we  are  indebted  to  Mr.  Harnicr  in  his 
Observations  on  Scripture.    Vol.  U.  p.  G6,  Note, 
t  Pearce  and  Wakefield. 


Ix.  32— 43.)  ACTS.  Ill 

from  the  dead,  upon  the  excellent  character  of  Dorcas,  and  hoped 
that  he  would  not  think  much  of  going  so  far,  to  restore  to  life  so 
useful  a  person.  The  sooner  this  was  done,  the  more  desirable, 
no  doubt,  it  would  be,  both  to  herself  and  to  her  friends.  But  it 
does  not  appear  that  the  words  of  the  messengers  refer  to  any 
despatch  with  which  he  was  desired  to  come,  but  merely  to  the 
reluctance  which  he  might  be  supposed  to  feel,  to  confer  so  great 
a  favour  upon  an  ordinary  person. 

39.  Then  Peter  arose  and  went  with  them  :  when 
he  was  come,  they  brought  him  into  the  upper  cham- 
ber :  and  all  the  widows  stood  by  him,  weeping,  and 
showing  the  coats  and  garments  which  Dorcas  made, 
"  was  makitig,^^  while  she  was  with  them. 

Being  herself,  probably,  a  widow,  she  employed  herself  in 
making  clothes  for  the  poor,  and  what  were  shown  to  Peter  were 
the  things  which  she  was  making  when  she  fell  sick  and  died. 
In  eastern  countries,  it  was  usual,  and  the  custom  still  continues, 
when  a  person  dies,  for  the  friends  and  neighbours  to  assemble  in 
the  room  where  the  dead  body  lies,  and  to  utter  loud  cries  and 
lamentations.  This  is  considered  as  an  honour  to  the  deceased.* 
And  this  was  the  purpose  for  which  these  women  were  assembled. 
As  they  might  be  noisy  and  troublesome,  Peter  thought  it  prudent, 
as  Jesus  had  done  in  a  like  case,  to  put  them  all  forth. 

40.  But  Peter  put  them  all  forth,  and  kneeled 
down  and  prayed,  begging  God,  no  doubt,  to  exeit  his 
power,  and  turning  him  to  the  body,  said,  Tabitha, 
arise.  And  she  opened  her  eyes,  and  when  she  saw 
Peter,  she  sat  up. 

41.  And  he  gave  her  his  hand,  and  lifted  her  up  ; 
and  when  he  had  called  the  saints,  the  Christians,  and 
widows,  he  presented  her  alive. 

He  congratulated  them,  no  doubt,  on  the  joyful  event  which  had 
taken  place,  and  upon  the  recovery  of  their  friend.  The  circum- 
stances of  this  resurrection  are  highly  favourable  to  the  supposition 
that  the  mind  dies  with  the  body,  and  is  restored  to  life  with  it. 
For  the  mind  of  Dorcas  remained  with  her  body  many  hours  after 
death,  and  would  probably  have  remained  with  the  corpse  till  the 
general  resurrection,  had  she  not,  in  the  meantime,  been  raised  to 
life  by  Peter.  So  remarkable  a  miracle  was  well  calculated  to 
make  a  strong  impression  upon  the  minds  of  all  who  heard  of  it, 
and  to  convince  them  of  the  divine  mission  of  those  that  preached 
the  gospel.     Accordingly  we  find  that  it  had  that  effect. 

42.  And  it  was  known  throughout  all  Joppa,  and 
many  believed  in  the  Lord. 

*  Harmer's  Observations,  Vol.  II.  p.  135,  &c. 


112  ACTS.  (xi.  32— 43. 

43.     And   it  came  to  pass  that  he    tarried    many 
days  in  Joppa  witli  one  Simon,  a  tanner. 


REFLECTIONS. 


1.  The  benevolent  exertions  of  Dorcas,  in  making  clothes  for 
tlie  poor,  may  teach  us  an  useful  method  of  exercising  our  charit)'. 
Such  donations  discover  greater  benevolence  of  heart,  and  are  fre- 
quently more  valuable  to  the  poor  than  presents  of  money.  What  is 
bestowed  in  this  last  way  is  often  given  without  thought,  and  spent 
without  economy.  But  the  other  gifts  are  not  so  easily  misapplied. 
Requiring  sometimes  labour  and  exertion,  they  discover  more  of  a 
benevolent  spirit  than  pecuniary  assistance,  which  may  be  aftbrded 
■without  any  trouble.  The  hands  of  Dorcas  were  more  honoura- 
bly employed  in  making  necessary  articles  of  dress  for  the  poor, 
than  in  adorning  her  own  person;  and  so  will  the  hands  of  all 
those  of  her  sex  who  imitate  her  example  ;  nor  let  them  be  dis- 
pleased to  hear  that  much  time,  now  wasted  and  lost,  might  be 
applied  to  advantage  in  this  way. 

2.  We  learn,  also,  how  acceptable  such  alms-deeds  and  other 
good  works  are  to  God,  as  well  as  to  man.  They  procured  for 
this  excellent  woman  and  benevolent  Christian,  the  esteem  of  her 
acquaintance  and  the  gratitude  of  the  poor.  But  they  did  some- 
thing more  ;  they  procured  for  her  the  great  honour  and  singular 
advantage  of  being  raised  from  the  dead  ;  which  was  a  clear  proof 
of  the  approbation  and  favour  of  God.  I  call  it  an  honour  to  be 
thus  restored  to  life,  because  only  a  few  were  thus  distinguished, 
and  those  eminent,  probably,  like  Lazarus,  for  the  excellence  of 
their  characters :  and  an  advantage,  because  it  afforded  fresh 
opportunities  of  doing  good  to  others,  of  improving  her  own  reli- 
gious character,  and  hereby  of  greatly  increasing  her  future  reward. 
To  one  who  knew  so  well  how  to  employ  her  time,  a  restoration  to 
life  was  a  valuable  blessing.  But  ill  would  it  deserve  that  name, 
if,  during  the  interval  between  her  death  and  resurrection,  her 
soul  went  to  heaven,  where  the  pleasures  of  good  men,  and  their 
advantages  for  improvement,  are  multiplied  an  hundred-fold,  and 
was  sent  back  from  this  happy  state,  to  occupy  her  body  again, 
and  to  struggle  with  the  disadvantages  and  evils  of  mortality. 
Life,  restored  in  such  circumstances,  would  be  a  misfortune  rather 
than  a  blessing  ;  a  subject  of  condolence  rather  than  of  congrat- 
ulation. But  not  such,  undoubtedly,  was  the  favour  conferred  in 
the  present  instance.  Time,  that  would  have  been  unproductive 
in  the  grave,  was  now  bestowed  upon  one  who  knew  how  to  apply 
il  to  the  best  purposes. 

3.  The  joy  which  took  place  between  Dorcas  and  her  friends, 
when  she  was  presented  to  them  alive,  may  give  us  some  faint 
idea  of  the  pleasure  which  will  be  felt  by  good  men,  at  the  first 
interview  with  each  other  at   the   general  resurrection  from  the 


X.  1—23.)  ACTS.  113 

dead.  How  delighted  will  they  be  to  behold  each  other  again  ; 
with  what  joy  will  they  be  transported  to  find  themselves  safely 
landed  on  the  happy  shores  of  that  world  ;  to  find  their  fears  and 
anxieties  dissipated,  their  hopes  and  wishes  realized  ;  to  behold 
themselves  in  the  company  of  friends  whom  they  most  valued  and 
esteemed,  entering  upon  a  new  state  of  existence,  abounding  with 
all  good  things,  and  never  to  have  an  end  ;  where  pleasure  will  be 
enjoyed  without  any  mixture  of  pain,  and  where  friends  will  have 
no  reason  to  fear  a  separation  any  more !  Blessed  and  glorious 
period !  for  the  prospect  of  which  we  are  indebted  to  the  gospel  of 
Christ.  May  we  do  nothing  now  that  may  forfeit  our  title  to 
this  happiness ;  nothing  that  may  unfit  us  for  those  blissful  regions. 


SECTION  XVI. 

The  Conversion  of  Cornelius. 

Acts  x.  1 — 48.      xi.  1—13. 


1.  There  was  a  certain  man  in  Caesarea,  called 
Cornelius,  a  centurion  of  the  band  called  the  Italian 
band, 

A  centurion  was  a  captain  of  one  hundred  soldiers.  This  was 
the  rank  of  Cornelius,  in  a  band  of  men  called  the  Italian,  because 
composed  principally  of  natives  of  that  country.  They  were  pro- 
bably the  life-guard  of  the  Roman  governor,  who  generally 
resided  in  the  city  of  Ceesarea. 

2.  A  devout  man,  and  one  that  feared  God,  with 

all  his  house,  which  gave   much  alms   to  the  people, 

and  prayed  to  God  alway. 

This  is  evidently  a  description  of  the  personal  character  of 
Cornelius,  and  not,  as  some  have  supposed,  a  mere  denomination  of 
a  proselyte  to  the  Jewish  religion.  Although  a  Gentile  and  un- 
circumcised,  he  was  a  devout  and  benevolent  man  ;  which  disposi- 
tions he  manifested  by  acts  of  beneficence,  and  by  praying  to  God 
at  those  hours  which  were  observed  for  prayer  by  the  Jews.  A 
man  of  this  character  was  justly  selected  from  among  the  Gentiles, 
for  receiving  the  first  communication  of  the  gospel. 

3.  He  saw  in  a  vision  evidently,  about  the  ninth 
hour  of  the  day,  one  of  the  Jewish  hours  of  prayer,  an 
angel  of  God  coming  in  to  him,  and  saying  unto  him, 
Cornelius ! 

The  circumstance  of  his  appearing  in  bright  clothing,  is  men- 
tioned in  verse  the  thirtieth. 

VOL.   III.  p 


114  ACTS.  (x.  1—23. 

4.  And  when   he  looked  on  liim,   he  was  afraid, 

and  said,  AVhat  is  it,  Lord  ?  "  JVhat  is  the  matter,  sir  V 

and  he  said,  Thy   prayers  and  thy  alms  are  come  up 

foi'  a  memorial  before  God. 

That  is,  they  are  not  unobserved  by  him,  but  graciously  receiv- 
ed, like  the  sacrifice  or  the  incense  offered  upon  the  altar. 

5.  And  now  send   men  to  Joppa,  and  call  for  one 
Simon,  whose  surname  is  Peter. 

6.  He   lodgeth  with  one   Simon  a  tanner,  whose 

house  is  by  the  sea-side.* 

From  the  manner  in  which  some  circumstances  in  this  story  are 
related,  we  might  be  led  to  suppose,  that  what  Cornelius  saw  on 
this  occasion  was  real ;  but  in  verse  the  third,  we  are  expressly 
told  that  it  was  in  vision,  the  same  word  which  is  afterwards  applied 
to  what  Peter  saw.  A  vision  is  an  exhibition  of  certain  scenes 
and  appearances  to  the  mind  of  a  prophet,  or  inspired  person, 
while  he  is  awake,  and  intended  to  foretel  some  future  event,  or  to 
give  him  information  on  some  religious  subject.  It  differed  from 
a  divine  dream,  in  as  much  as  that  was  a  communication  when  the 
senses  were  locked  up  in  sleep,  and  the  prophet  had  not  the  free 
use  of  his  understanding.  But  in  a  vision,  the  prophet  had  the  use 
of  his  understanding,  and  was  affected  in  exactly  the  same  manner 
by  the  objects  presented  to  him  as  if  they  had  been  real.  It  is 
called  a  vision,  not  because  the  faculty  of  seeing  was  used,  but 
from  an  analogy  which  subsisted  between  the  effect  of  sight  and 
this  kind  of  inspiration,  both  presenting  certain  images  to  the 
mind.  Thus  Cornelius  seems  to  hear  a  voice,  and  to  see  a  man, 
although  it  was  nothing  more  than  a  divine  illusion.  AVhat  he 
perceived  was  only  images  presented  to  his  mind,  just  as  what  we 
see  in  a  mirror  is  not  the  object  but  the  picture  of  it.  In  most 
cases  the  prophet  was  enabled  to  distinguish  a  vision  from  a  real 
appearance,  when  the  vision  was  over:  but  in  the  case  of  Paul  it 
seems  to  have  remained  a  matter  of  uncertainty  all  the  rest  of  his 
days ;  for,  after  saying  that  he  was  carried  up  into  the  third 
heaven,  he  adds,  "  Whether  in  the  body  or  out  of  the  body  I 
cannot  tell :"  that  is,  I  know  not  whether  I  was  carried  there  cor- 
poreally in  person,  or  only  in  idea.t 

7.  And  when  the  angel  which  spake  unto  him  was 
departed,  he  called  two  of  his  household  servants, 
and  a  devout  soldier  of  them  that  waited  on  him 
continually  : 

8.  And  when  he  had  declared  all  these  things 
unto  them,  he  sent  them  to  Joppa. 

*  The  words,  "  He  shall  tell  thee  whal  ihou  .'halt  do,"  are  omiUed  by  Gricsibach. 
t  Farmer  on  Chiisi's  Temptalion,  pp.  36,  £0,,  95. 


X.  1—23.)  ACTS.  115 

9.  On  the  morrow,  as  they  went  on  their  Journey, 
Peter  went  up  upon  the  house  to  pray,  about  the  sixth 
hour  : 

The  common  hours  of  prayer  among  the  Jews  were  the  times  of 
morning  and  evening  sacrifice,  or  nine  in  the  morning  and  three  in 
the  afternoon  ;  but  the  more  devout  of  them  observed  another  hour 
of  prayer,  which  is  here  called  the  sixth  hour.  Agreeably  to  this, 
David  says,  "  Evening,  morning,  and  at  noon,  will  I  pray." 
Ps.  Iv.  17. 

The  roofs  of  houses  in  Judaea  and  other  eastern  countries,  were 
not  sloping  like  ours,  but  flat,  and  therefore  convenient  places 
for  retirement. 

10.  And  he  became  very  hungry,  and  would  \mvc 
eaten  ;  but  while  they  made  ready,  he  fell  into  a 
trance. 

A  trance,  or,  as  it  is  in  the  original,  an  extasy,  is  that  supernat- 
ural state  of  the  mind  of  an  inspired  person,  in  which  he  sees 
visions,  and  in  which  his  mind  is  so  engaged  by  the  scenes  pre- 
sented to  it,  as  to  be  inattentive  to  every  other  object.  Thus 
Peter,  in  giving  an  account  of  this  transaction  in  the  next  chapter, 
xi.  5,  says,  "  being  in  a  trance,  I  saw  a  vision."  However,  as 
trance  and  vision  mutually  imply  each  other,  one  word  is  frequently 
used  for  the  other.  Thus  it  is  said  above  of  Cornelius,  that  in 
vision  he  saw  an  angel,  when  the  meaning  evidently  is,  that  in  a 
trance  he  saw  that  appearance.  In  the  same  manner  it  is  said  of 
Saul  that  in  vision,  that  is,  in  trance,  he  saAv  Ananias  coming  unto 
him.  In  this  preternatural  state,  certain  symbolical  representations 
were  exhibited  to  the  mind,  with  a  view  to  convey  instruction  to 
the  prophet,  as  \ve  find  to  be  the  case  here. 

11.  And  saw  heaven  opened,  i.  e.  he  beheld  the 
sky  part,  and  a  certain  vessel  descending  unto  him,  as 
it  had  been  a  great  sheet,  knit,  "  tied,^^  at  the  four 
corners,  and  let  down  to  the  earth : 

12.  Wherein  were  all  manner  of  four-footed  beasts 
of  the  earth,*  and  creeping  things,  and  fowls  of  the 
air. 

That  is,  living  creatures  of  all  sorts,  such  as  were  reckoned 
clean  and  fit  for  food  by  the  Jewish  law,  and  such  as  were  esteemed 
unclean. 

13.  And  there  came  a  voice  to  him.  Rise,  Peter, 
kill  and  eat. 

*  •■'  And  wild  beasts,"  is  thought  to  be  an  iiitcipolaliou.     See  (Jriesbach, 


116  ACTS.  (x.  1— 23. 

14.  But  Peter  said,  Not  so,  Lord  ;  for  I  have 
never  eaten  any  thing  that  is  common.* 

Peter,  although  in  a  trance,  has  the  exercise  of  his  understand- 
ing, and  declines  to  partake  of  particular  kinds  of  food,  which  the 
Jewish  law  had  prohibited. 

15.  And  the  voice  spake  unto  him  again,  the 
second  time  ;  what  God  hath  cleansed,  that  call  not 
thou  common. 

16.  This  was  done  thrice  :  and  the  vessel  was 
received  up  again  into  heaven. 

By  the  clean  beasts  in  this  vision,  we  are  to  understand  the  Jews, 
who  had  been  formerly  the  people  of  God,  and  those  who  had  em- 
braced Christianity  were  so  still : — by  the  unclean  and  the  creeping 
things,  the  Gentiles,  who  were  held  in  abomination  by  the  Jews  ; 
and  by  the  mixture  of  both  together,  and  by  his  being  commanded 
to  slay  and  eat  of  all  without  distinction,  Peter  was  instructed,  that 
Gentiles,  as  well  as  Jews,  were  to  be  received  into  the  Chris- 
tian church,  and  to  form  one  body  with,  the  pious  descendants  of 
Abraham.  Christ  had  instructed  his  apostles  to  go  and  teach  all 
nations,  and  to  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature  ;  which  must 
include  Gentiles.  But  they  did  not  understand  his  command  in  this 
extensive  sense,  confining  it  to  the  Jews  dispersed  through  all  na- 
tions; or,  if  they  imagined  that  it  extended  to  others,  they  supposed, 
that  they  were  first  to  become  Jews  by  circumcision,  before  they 
could  become  Christians.  And  it  required  the  extraordinary  vision 
now  exhibited  to  Peter,  to  make  him  acquainted  with  the  compre- 
hensive plan  of  the  gospel. 

17.  Now  while  Peter  doubted  in  himself  what 
this  vision  which  he  had  seen  should  mean,  behold, 
the  men  which  were  sent  from  Cornelius  had  made 
inquiry  for   Simon's  house,  and  stood  before  the  gate, 

18.  And  called,  and  asked  whether  Simon,  which 
was  surnamed  Peter,  were  lodged  there. 

19.  While  Peter  thought  on  the  vision,  the  Spirit 
said  unto  him,  Behold,  three  men  seek  thee. 

20.  Arise,  therefore,  and  get  thee  down,  and  go 
with  them,  doubting  nothing,  i.  e.  without  scruple,  for 
I  have  sent  them. 

In  the  preceding  verses  we  had  an  example  of  revelation  by 
vision,  where  Peter  was  left  to  collect  the  meaning  of  the  Divine 
Being  from  symbolical  representations.      Here  we  have  an  example 

*  The  words  "or  unclean,"  arc  oniilted  in  many  copies,  and  supposed  lobe  a 
gloss.    See  Gricsbach,  2ud  edition. 


X.  1—23.  ACTS.  117 

of  direct  revelation.     The  Spirit  directs  Peter  in  so  many  words 
wliat  he  is  to  do. 

21.  Then  Peter  went  down  to  the  men  which 
were  sent  to  him  from  Cornelius,  and  said,  Behold,  I 
am  he  whom  ye  seek ;  what  is  the  cause  wherefore 
ye  are  come  ? 

22.  And  they  said,  Cornelius,  the  centurion,  a 
just  man,  and  one  that  feareth  God,  and  of  good  report 
among  all  the  nation  of  the  Jews,  was  warned  from 
God  by  a  holy  angel,  to  send  for  thee  into  his  house, 
and  to  hear  words  of  thee  ;  that  he  may  hear  ivhat 
thou  hast  to  say. 

23.  Then  called,  "  invited,^^  he  them  in,  and 
lodged  them  :  and  on  the  morrow  Peter  went  away 
with  them,  and  certain  brethren  from  Joppa  accom- 
panied him. 

Peter,  being  now  aware  of  the  design  of  the  vision,  took  with  him 
these  persons,  who  were  six  in  number,  as  we  leain  from  the  next 
chapter,  to  prevent  misrepresentations  of  his  conduct. 


REFLECTIONS. 


1.  We  may  observe,  that  the  account  here  given  of  Cornelius, 
may  teach  men  in  what  excellence  of  character  consists — in  devotion 
and  beneficence.  Each  is  defective  without  the  other.  Where 
they  exist  together,  they  improve  and  exalt  each  other,  and  the 
character  becomes  complete  ;  the  outline  at  least  is  perfect,  and  the 
picture  only  wants  to  be  filled  up,  and  to  receive  the  last  touches. 
To  be  without  devotion,  is  to  be  insensible  to  supreme  excellence, 
to  have  no  love  for  perfect  goodness,  no  fear  of  Almighty  power. 
It  is  to  be  a  son  without  filial  aflection  ;  a  receiver  of  benefits  with- 
out gratitude  to  the  benefactor  ;  a  partaker  of  the  bounties  of 
Heaven,  without  thinking  on  him  from  whom  they  come,  or  his 
design  in  bestowing  them.  But  devotion,  which  is  not  accompanied 
with  beneficence,  must  be  pretended  and  not  real ;  for  how  is  it 
possible  to  admire  goodness,  without  endeavouring  to  imitate  it? — to 
be  sensible  of  the  kindness  of  a  friend,  and  to  be  inattentive  to  his 
wishes?  Can  we  love  a  father,  and  yet  show  no  respect  to  his  children, 
when  he  has  expressly  recommended   those  children  to  our  regard? 

On  the  other  hand,  beneficence  without  devotion  is  destitute  of 
its  best  principle  and  noblest  support ;  it  wants  a  motive  to  do  good 
in  secret ;  it  wants  fortitude  to  bear  ungrateful  returns  and  disap- 
pointed expectations.  It  has  nothing  in  it  that  is  generous  and 
noble.  It  is  the  offspring  of  vanity,  the  bait  for  fame,  or  the  ad- 
vancement of  worldly  interest.      In   us,  my  brethren,  let  these  two 


118  ACTS.  (x.  24— -48. 

characters  be  united  ;  wliilc  we  profess  piety  towards  God,  let  us 
show  cliarity  to  men.  VV ht>n  called  upon  to  perform  acts  of  benefi- 
cence, let  us  prove  our  devotion  by  our  good  works,  and  give  our- 
selves the  satisfaction  of  knowing,  that  it  is  not  a  mere  name,  an 
empty  sound. 

It  is  to  the  honour  of  Cornelius,  that  his  household  feared  God  as 
well  as  hinjself,  because  it  is  a  proof  of  his  fidelity  and  care.  Hav- 
ing ac(iuirccl  the  knowledge  of  the  true  God,  he  resolves  to  commu- 
nicate it  to  others ;  to  his  children  and  domestics,  and  even  the 
to  soldiers  under  his  command,  that  they  may  share  with  him  in  the 
blessings  of  this  invaluable  discovery.  lie  is  not  ashamed  of  tlie 
religion  of  a  despised  and  conquered  people,  but  professes  it  publicly, 
and  teaches  it  diligently  to  all,  with  whom  he  is  connected.  It  is  to 
his  honour,  that  he  maintained  the  character  here  given  of  him  in  a 
profession  which  is  generally  distinguished  by  a  disregard  of  religion, 
and  in  which  his  piety  and  virtue  must  have  been  exposed  to 
many  severe  trials.  Principles  which  could  withstand  such  powerful 
attacks,  must  have  had  no  small  strength. 

2.  Let  us  remember  how  acceptable  to  God  are  works  of  piety 
and  beneficence.  Cornelius,  who  was  distinguished  for  them,  is 
honoured  with  a  vision  from  Heaven,  although  a  soldier  and  a 
heathen,  and  receives  the  further  and  greater  honour  of  being  the  first 
among  the  Gentiles,  to  whom  the  gospel  of  Christ  was  communica- 
ted. Let  all  men,  therefore,  whatever  be  their  conditien,  cultivate 
the  same  virtues,  in  hopes  of  the  like  acceptance.  An  angel  may 
not  be  sent  from  heaven,  in  vision  or  in  reality,  to  assure  them,  that 
they  will  be  well  received  ;  but  they  arc  assured  of  it  by  an  authority 
not  less  certain  than  the  voice  of  an  angel,  by  the  inspired  messen- 
ger of  God. 

3.  From  the  conduct  of  Peter,  in  taking  friends  with  him  when 
he  went  to  visit  the  Gentiles,  we  may  learn  the  propriety  of  using 
precautions,  to  prevent  our  good  actions  from  being  misrepresented 
and  evil  spoken  of.  What  he  did  was  clearly  right  in  his  own  esti- 
mation, and  the  circumstances  in  which  he  stood,  and  after  what  had 
taken  place  ;  but  it  was  possible  that  it  might  not  appear  so  toothers, 
and,  therefore,  some  regard  was  to  be  had  to  their  satisfaction.  To 
resolution  in  doing  what  wo  think  to  be  right,  and  courage  in  pro- 
fessing the  truth,  it  is  necessary  to  join  prudence  and  regard  to  our 
own  reputation  ;  and,  where  we  break  through  established  customs, 
or  deny  established  doctrines,  to  show  our  authority  for  doing  so, 
that  we  may  not  unnecessarily  expose  ourselves  to  the  suspicion  of 
impiety  and  irreligion. 


24.  And  the  morrow  after  they  entered  into  Ca3- 
sarea ;  and  Cornelius  vv  aitcd  for  them,  and  had  called 
together  his  kinsmen  and  near  friends, 

25.  And  as  Peter  was  coming  in,  Cornelius  met 
him,  and  fell  down  at  his  feet,  and  worshipped  him, 
^^did  him  homage.^'' 


xi -24— 48.)  ACTS.  119 

26.  But  Peter  took  him  up,  saying,  Stand  up ;  I 
myself  also  am  a  man. 

Cornelius  cast  himself  at  Peter's  feet.  This  was  a  customary 
form  of  respect  in  eastern  countries,  to  princes  and  other  great 
personages  :  but,  in  the  western  world,  it  was  thought  too  solemn  or 
too  humiliating  to  be  employed  upon  any  occasion,  except  in  an 
address  to  the  gods.  Peter,  therefore,  knowing  that  Cornelius  was  a 
Roman,  and  that  among  his  countrymen  such  prostrations  were  not 
used,  refused  to  accept  from  him  this  token  of  respect,  imagining 
that  he  had  conceived  too  high  an  opinion  of  his  character  ;  although 
it  is  probable,  that  Cornelius  intended  nothing  more,  in  this  instance, 
than  to  conform  to  the  customs  of  the  country,  by  paying  the  usual 
respect  to  an  extraordinary  personage.  Christ  permitted  several 
persons  who  came  to  pay  him  this  testimony  of  respect,  because  the 
persons  by  whom  it  was  offered  were  Jews,  who  practised  such 
ceremonies,  and  had  actually  paid  the  same  respect  to  former 
prophets.* 

27.  And  as  he  talked  with  him,  he  went  in,  "A«? 
ivent  in  talking  with  him,^^  and  found  many  that  were 
come  together. 

These  were  no  other  than  the  relations  and  intimate  friends 
before-mentioned. 

28.  And  he  said  unto  them,  Ye  know  that  it  is  an 
unlawful  thing  for  a  man  that  is  a  Jew,  to  keep  com- 
pany, or  to  come  unto  one  of  another  nation  :  but 
God  hath  showed  me,  that  I  should  not  call  any  man 
common  or  unclean. 

There  was  no  law  of  Moses,  that  prohibited  Israelites  from 
having  intercourse  with  strangers  :  but  such  a  maxim,  it  seems,  was 
inculcated  upon  the  people  by  the  scribes  and  Pharisees;  and  Peter 
intimates,  that  he  had  entertained  the  same  opinion,  until  better 
instructed  by  a  vision,  which  taught  him,  that  he  was  to  regard  every 
nation  as  pure  and  hoi}',  which  was  treated  as  such  by  God. 

29.  Therefore  came  I  unto  you,  without  gain- 
saying, as  soon  as  I  was  sent  for.  I  ask,  therefore, 
for  what  intent  have  ye  sent  for  me  ? 

He  had  already  been  informed  by  the  messengers  of  the  reason 
for  sending  for  him  ;  but  he  is  desirous  to  have  this  reason  repeated 
by  Cornelius  himself,  for  the  instruction  of  others. 

30.  And  Cornelius  said.  Four  days  ago  I  was  fast- 
ing until  this  hour,  and  at  the  ninth  hour,  I  prayed  in 
my  house ;  and,  behold,  a  man  stood  before  me  in 
bright  clothing,  "  in  white  clothing  ;" 

*  Harmer's  Observations,  Vol.  II.  p.  3.5. 


120  ACTS.  (x.  24—48. 

31.  And  said,  Cornelius,  thy  prayer  is  heard,  and 
thine  ahiis  are  liad  in  remembrance  in  the  sight  of 
God. 

32.  Send  therefore,  to  Joppa,  and  call  hither 
Simon,  whose  surname  is  Peter ;  he  is  lodged  in  the 
house  of  one  Simon,  a  tanner,  by  the  sea-side  ;  who, 
when  he  cometh,  shall  speak  unto  thee. 

33.  Immediately,  therefore,  I  sent  to  thee  :  and 
thou  hast  well  done  that  thou  art  come.  Now, 
therefore,  are  we  all  here  present  before  God,  or,  as 
some  copies  read  it,  "  before  thee,''''  to  hear  all  things 
that  are  commanded  thee  of  God. 

34.  Then  Peter  opened  his  mouth,  and  said,  Of  a 
truth  I  perceive,  that  God  is  no  respecter  of  persons  ; 

35.  But  in  every  nation,  he  that  feareth  him,  and 
worketh  righteousness,  is  accepted  with  him. 

The  meaning  of  these  words  as  explained  by  the  preceding  cir- 
cumstances, seems  to  be  this  :  1  now  clearly  perceive  that  the  regards 
of  the  Divine  Being  to  his  creatures  are  not  partial  and  limited, 
extending  only  to  a  particular  nation  and  family  ;  but  that  every  one 
who  doth  well,  of  whatever  nation  he  may  be,  although  not  of  the 
people  of  Israel,  or  family  of  Abraham,  is  accepted  by  God,  and 
deemed  worthy  of  receiving  extraordinary  favours.  Fori  find  that 
Cornelius,  an  uncircumcised  Roman,  has  been  favoured  with  a  divine 
vision,  and  been  directed  to  send  for  me,  that  I  may  communi- 
cate to  him  the  knowledge  of  the  gospel  of  Christ,  which  I  am  now 
about  to  do.  In  these  words  is  an  allusion  toajudge,  who,  in  trying  cau- 
ses, pays  more  regard  to  the  person  of  him  who  pleads  than  to  the  cause 
which  he  defends.    IS'ot  such  is  the  character  of  the  Judge  of  mankind. 

36.  The  word  which  God  sent  unto  the  children 
of  Israel,  preaching  peace,  by  Jesus  Christ,  (he  is 
Lord  of  all  :) 

The  last  clause  may  be  rendered,  "  This  is  lord  of  all,"  meaning, 
that  the  doctrine  of  Christ  was  intended  to  exercise  authority  over 
all,  i.  c.  over  Jews  and  Gentiles.  Or,  if  the  common  translation  be 
retained,  and  tlie  woids  refer  to  Christ,  the  sense  will  be  nearly  the 
same  ;  Christ  is  head,  i.  e.  ruler  over  all.  The  peace  here  mention- 
ed means  reconciliation  with  God,  which  was  offered  by  the  gospel ; 
all  men,  before  that  period,  having  been  in  a  state  of  alienation  and 
enmity;  but  by  that  reconciliation  he  oflers  to  take  them  into  a  state 
of  knowledge  and  favour,  i.  e.  to  be  at  peace  with  those  whom  he 
before  regarded  as  enemies. 

37.  That  word,  I  say,  you  know,  which  was  pub- 
lished throughout  all  Judasa,   and  began  from  Galilee, 


X.  24—48.)  ACTS.  121 

or,  "  Ye  know  the  thing*  which  was  done  throughout 
all  Judcca,  beginning  Jrom  Galilee,''^  after  the  baptism 
which  John  preached  : 

38.  How  God  anointed  Jesus  of  Nazareth  with 
the  Holy  Spirit,  and  with  power,  who  went  about 
doing  good,  and  healing  all  that  were  oppressed  of  the 
devil ;  for  God  was  with  him. 

It  is  well  known,  that  tlie  kings  of  Israel  and  the  high-priests 
were  appointed  to  their  respective  offices  by  anointing  the  head 
with  oil.  L5ut  in  course  of  timo,  the  \yord  anoint  came  to  be  used 
for  conferring  other  benefits  besides  those  of  priestly  and  kingly 
power,  and  is  here  employed  to  express  the  n)iraciilons  powers,  with 
which  Jesus  was  invested.  The  proof  adduced  of  his  being  possessed 
of  these  powers,  is  his  healing  all  that  were  oppressed  with  the 
devil ;  by  which  is  not  meant  dasnioniacs  in  particular,  but  all  afflict- 
ed persons,  whatever  might  be  the  nature  of  their  disorders.  For 
the  Jews  considered  all  disorders,  at  least  the  most  grievous  of  them, 
as  proceeding  from  the  devil,  the  supposed  author  of  all  evil. 
Agreeably  to  this  idea,  Christ  describes  the  woman  who  was  bowed 
together  and  could  not  stand  upright,  as  one  whom  Satan  had  bound. 
The  language  of  Peter,  on  this  occasion,  therefore,  is  equivalent  to 
that  of  Matthew  iv.  23,  when  he  says  of  Christ,  that  he  healed  all 
manner  of  sickness  and  all  manner  of  disease  among  the  people.t 
Such  miracles  are  very  properly  mentioned  in  the  one  place,  and 
alluded  to  in  the  other,  as  proofs  of  his  divine  commission. 

39.  And  we  are  witnesses  of  all  things  which  he 
did,  both  in  the  land  of  the  Jews  and  in  Jerusalem, 
whom  they  slew  and  hanged  on  a  tree,  "  whom  they 
slew,  having  hanged  on  a  tree,''^  i.  e.  on  the  cross. 

40.  Him  God  raised  up  the  third  day,  and  showed 
him  openly,  "  and  appointed  to  be  shown,''"' 

41.  Not  to  all  the  people,  but  unto  witnesses 
chosen  before  of  God,  i.  e.  to  the  disciples  of  Christ, 
even  to  us  who  did  eat  and  drink  with  him  after  he 
rose  from  the  dead. 

Nothing  could  be  better  calculated  to  give  credibility  to  the  mira- 
cles and  resurrection  of  Christ,  than  the  evidence  which  is  here 
ofi'ered,  the  testimony  of  men  who  had  been  themselves  eye-witnesses 
of  the  fact. 

42.  And  he  commanded  us  to  preach  unto  the 
people,  and  to  testify  that  it  is  he  which  was  ordained 

•  Schleusneri  Lexicon  in  verb.  P«^«,  No.  8.     t  Farmer^on  Daamoniacs,  pp.  74,  76. 
VOL.  III.  Q 


122  ACTS.  (x.  24—48. 

of  God  to  be  judi^e    of  quick  and  dead,  "  the  living 
and  dead.''^ 

Thai  is,  of  those  who  shall  bo  alive  upon  the  earth  at  his  second 
coming,  and  of  those  who  shall  be  lying  in  the  tomb,  but  shall  then 
be  raised  from  tiie  dead.  This  was  probabl}'  one  of  those  commands 
which  Christ  gave  to  his  disciples,  during  the  forty  days  that  he 
renaaiucd  with  them  after  his  resurrection. 

43.  To  liim  give  all  the  prophets  witness,  that 
through  his  name,  or,  "  in  his  name,'"'  whosoever 
believeth  in  him,  shall  receive  remission  of  sins. 

It  has  been  supi)Oscd,  with  considerable  probability,  by  Bishop 
Pearce,  as  more  suitable  to  the  design  of  this  verse,  that  the  prophets 
referred  to  by  Peter,  are  not  the  ancient  prophets  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, but  the  teachers  of  the  Christian  church,  so  called  in  several  of 
the  apostolical  writings,  particularly  in  1  Cor.  xii.  28,  where  it  is 
said,  "  God  both  set  some  in  the  church,  first  apostles,  secondarily 
prophets,  thirdly  teachers."  Of  these  teachers  or  prophets,  Peter 
asserts  that  they  all  maintained  the  doctrine  which  he  then  declared, 
viz.  that  whosoever  believed  in  Christ  should  receive  remission  of 
sins  ;  that  is,  not  the  forgiveness  of  moral  guilt ;  for  that  depended 
upon  their  good  conduct,  not  upon  their  faith  ;  but  the  removal  of 
that  ceremonial  uncleanness  and  pollution,  in  which  all  unbelievers, 
whether  Jews  or  Gentiles,  were  involved,  and  which  is  in  Scripture 
frequently  called  sin  ;  and  their  being  received  into  a  state  of  favour 
and  privilege.  Before  they  believed  in  Christ  they  were  sinners, 
but  by  this  change  their  sin  is  remitted,  and  they  become  saints ;  they 
were  before  unholy  ;  they  are  now  sanctified  :  that  this  is  what  is  meant 
by  remission  of  sins,  might  be  shown  by  the  use  of  the  same  terra 
in  other  passages  of  Scripture,  but  its  meaning  is  sufficiently  illustra- 
ted by  the  remarkable  circumstances  which  took  place  on  the  present 
occasion  ;  for  no  sooner  has  Peter  declared  that  all  who  believe  in 
Jesus  should  be  taken  into  a  state  of  favour,  or,  which  is  the  same 
thing,  have  their  sins  remitted,  than  God  seals  the  truth  of  his  de- 
claration, while  the  words  arc  yet  in  his  mouth,  by  bestowing  mira- 
culous powers  on  all  the  believing  Gentiles  who  were  present. 

This  address  of  Peter  to  the  Gentiles  contains  a  short  epitome  of 
the  gospel  ;  but  I  cannot  help  observing  that  it  takes  no  notice  of 
several  articles  which  are  now  deemed  its  distinguishing  doctrines  ; 
neither  the  deity  of  Christ,  nor  his  pre-existence,  nor  his  atonement, 
is  once  mentioned  or  alluded  to  ;  nothing  more  is  asserted  of  Jesus 
than  that  he  was  a  man  of  Nazareth,  whose  commission  extended  to 
the  Gentiles,  as  well  as  to  the  Jews,  who  began  his  ministry  after  the 
baptism  of  John,  and  proved  his  divine  mission  by  the  miracu- 
lous cures  which  he  performed,  and  by  his  resurrection  from  the 
dead  ;  and  that  he  is  appointed  the  final  judge  of  all  men.  This  is 
all  that  Peter  deemed  essential  to  Christianity,  or  deserving  of  notice 
in  it ;  and  it  is  all  that  the  Divine  Being  deemed  to  be  so  likewise ; 
for  upon  those  who  believed  thus,  much  miraculous  powers  are 
bestowed. 


X.  24—48.)  ACTS.  123 

44.  While  Peter  yet  spake  these  words,   the  Holy 

Spirit  fell  on  all  them  which  heard  the  word. 

As  a  proof  that  Peter  spoke  the  truth,  in  declaring  that  all  who 
believed  in  Christ  should  be  taken  into  that  state  of  privilege  which 
the  Jews  once  possessed,  and  which  was  no,v  occupied  by  Christians, 
the  Holy  Spirit  is  sent  down  upon  these  Gentile  believers,  while  he 
is  yet  speaking,  which  was  an  instance  or  example  of  the  very  thing 
which  he  had  asserted.  This  effusion  of  the  Spirit  was  manifested, 
probably,  by  some  suitable  appearance,  like  that  which  was  exhibit- 
ed upon  the  heads  of  the  apostles  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  or  over 
Jesus  at  his  baptism,  as  well  as  by  what  is  mentioned  immediately 
afterwards. 

45.  And  they  of  the  circumcision  wliich  believed, 
were  astonished,  as  many  as  came  with  Peter,  because 
that  on  the  Gentiles  also  was  poured  out  the  gift 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  : 

46.  For  they  heard  them  speak  with  tongues,  and 

magnify  God. 

The  Jews,  to  whom  miraculous  gifts  had  been  confined,  might 
well  be  surprised  to  behold  them  conferred  upon  the  Gentiles ;  men 
whom  they  had  alwaj's  been  taught  to  regard  as  outcasts,  and  as 
wholly  unworthy  of  such  favours.  Had  the  Jews,  on  the  memorable 
occasion  of  the  conversion  of  Gentiles,  expressed  nothing  more  than 
surprise,  they  would  not  have  deserved  censure  ;  but  their  violent 
opposition  to  the  admission  of  Gentiles  into  Christian  fellowship, 
of  which  we  read  so  much  in  Paul's  epistles,  proceeded  from  inveter- 
ate prejudice  or  base  envy. 

Then  answered  Peter,  "  then  said  Peter,''^ 

47.  Can  any  man  forbid  water,  that  these  should 

not  be  baptized,  who  have  received  the  Holy  Spirit  as 

well  as  we  ? 

The  words,  "  who  can  forbid  water?"  seem  to  imply  that  the 
water  was  to  be  brought  to  them,  and  not  they  taken  to  the  water, 
and  that,  therefore,  it  was  Peter's\  purpose  to  baptize  them  by 
sprinkling  or  washing,  and  not  by  immersion.  His  question  seems 
also  to  imply  that  some  might,  perhaps,  forbid  water  to  be  brought 
upon  the  present  occasion  for  the  purpose  of  baptism. 

48.  And  he  commanded  them  to  be  baptized  in 
the  name  of  the  Lord,  of  Christ  Jesus  who  is  our 
Lord,  or  Master. 

It  is  observable  that  in  this  and  every  other  instance  in  which  the 
baptism  of  Christians  is  mentioned,  it  is  said  to  have  been  performed, 
not  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit,  but  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord,  or  of  Christ. 

Then  prayed  they  him  to  tarry  certain  days. 


124  ACTS.  (x.  24—48. 

That    lie   might   give  them  further  instruction  in    the  Christian 
doctrine. 


REFLECTIONS. 


This  portion  of  hi.=!toA'  contains  an  account  of  one  of  the  most 
memorable  and  iiiteresting  events  whicli  occur  in  the  sacred  wrtings, 
the  commnnication  of  the  gospel  of  Christ,  and  of  miraculous 
powers  to  tlie  Gentile  Wbrld,  widiout  their  being  required  to  conform 
to  the  observances  of  the  Mosaic  law  ;  an  event  which  astonished 
all  who  heard  of  it,  whether  Jews  or  Gentiles,  which  gave  new 
views  to  Christian  teachers,  and  exhibited  their  religion  in  a  new 
light.  The  mystery  hidden  from  ages  is  now  revealed  ;  the  purposes 
of  God  from  before  the  foundation  of  the  world  are  accomplished  ; 
those  who  were  once  treated  as  despised  outcasts,  are  taken  into 
the  kingdom  and  family  of  God,  and  hold  the  same  honourable 
station  which  the  Jews  once  occupied,  but  from  which  they  had  now 
fallen  by  transgression.     In  this  event  wo  see, 

1.  The  imbounded  goodness  of  the  great  Father  of  mankind, 
who  extends  his  gracious  regards  to  the  most  ignorant,  the  most  de- 
praved, and  wretched  of  his  offspring,  the  idolatrous  heathens,  loves 
them  notwithstanding  their  follies  and  their  crimes,  and  adopts  the 
most  efficacious  measures  for  their  recovery  to  knowledge,  virtue, 
and  happiness.  If  these  measures  were  long  delayed,  it  was  not 
because  his  children  were  overlooked  or  forgotten,  but  because  the 
proper  time  for  executing  them  was  not  yet  arrived  ;  if  only  a  small 
portion  of  the  Gentiles  have  hitherto  partaken  of  this  blessing,  it  is 
for  a  like  reason.  When  Christianity  has  been  purified  from  those 
corruptions  which  have  sullied  its  beauty  and  destroyed  its  eflicacy, 
it  shall  sj^read  throughout  the  world.  The  favour  which  has  already 
been  shown  to  a  few,  is  a  pledge  and  security  for  the  benefit  whicli 
shall  hereafter  be  bestowed  upon  the  many.  How  grateful,  then, 
should  we  be  to  God  for  bestowing  upon  our  ancestors  of  the  heathen 
race  this  important  favour,  and,  through  them,  upon  us  !  The  apos- 
tle Paul  and  other  eaily  Christians,  seem  to  be  at  a  loss  for  words  to 
express  the  greatness  of  the  divine  goodness  in  the  present  instance. 
They  speak  of  the  breadth  and  length,  of  the  depth  and  height  of 
the  love  of  God  in  Christ,  manifested  to  the  Gentiles,  as  passing 
knowledge  ;  but  we,  alas,  who  are  educated  in  the  principles  of 
Christianity,  and  know  nothing  of  the  evils  of  idolatry  but  from 
report,  are  scarcely  sensible  of  our  obligations. 

2.  We  see  in  this  event,  also,  secondly,  the  impartiality  of  the 
divine  character:  what  is  bestowed  upon  the  Jews  is  given  to  the 
Gentiles  also;  one  b(Mng  as  dear  to  God  as  the  other,  and  equally  the 
object  of  his  benevolent  regards.  If,  in  former  times,  more  favour 
has  been  f  hown  to  one  part  of  the  human  race  than  to  another,  it  is 
not  for  their  own  sake, or  from  blind  partiality  to  them,  but  from  a 
regard  to  the  interest  of  all,  which  has  been  promoted  in  this 
manner. 


xi.  1—18.)  ACTS.  125 

3.  Lastly,  we  behold  in  this  event  pl*.in  marks  of  the  hand  of 
God.  To  conceive  the  idea  of  extending  the  kingdom  of  God  to 
the  Gentiles,  who  were  regarded  with  so  much  hatred  and  contempt, 
and  of  raising  them  to  a  state  of  equality  with  themselves,  was  a 
scheme  far  too  liberal  and  comprehensive  for  narrow-minded  and 
bigoted  Jews.  It  was  totally  opposite  to  the  principles  of  their 
education. 

This  story  ascribes  it  wholly  to  God  ;  and  it  bears  evident  marks 
of  coming  from  him  :  it  resembles  his  conduct  in  otljer  instances, 
since  he  causes  the  sun  to  shine,  nnd  the  rain  to  descend  upon  one 
part  of  the  earth  as  well  as  another ;  and  the  most  valuable  bles- 
sings of  life  are  the  most  common.  The  early  design  of  communi- 
cating the  gospel  of  Christ  to  the  heathens,  which  appeared  amongst 
the  first  teachers,  is  itself  no  inconsiderable  proof  of  the  divine  origin 
of  our  religion. 


1.  And  the  apostles  and  brethren  that  were  in 
Judaea  heard  that  the  Gentiles  also  had  received 
the  word  of  God. 

The  gospel  of  Christ  is  here  called  the  word  of  God,  because  it 
contained  an  account  of  a  revelation  from  heaven  ;  and  in  the  same 
sense  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testament  may  be  called 
the  word  of  God  likewise,  because  they  contain  authentic  accounts 
of  such  revelations,  although  not  themselves  inspired. 

2.  And  when  Peter  was  come  up  to  Jerusalem, 
they  that  were  of  the  circumcision  contended,  or, 
^^ expostulated.'^^  with  him, 

3.  Thou  wentest  in  to  men  uncircumcised,  and 
didst  eat  with  them. 

This,  the  maxims  of  the  elders,  but  not  the  law  of  Moses,  declared 
to  be  unlawful.  From  the  conduct  of  these  Jewish  Christians,  it  is 
plain  that  they  did  not  consider  Peter  as  under  the  direction  of 
inspiration  in  all  his  actions :  otherwise  they  would  not  have 
ventured  to  censure  his  conduct  in  this  instance  ;  nor  does  Peter 
himself  seem  to  be  conscious  of  having  such  inspiration  ;  for  he 
appeals  not  to  his  authority  as  an  apostle,  but  to  the  particular  in- 
structions which  he  had  received  on  this  subject. 

4.  But  Peter  rehearsed  the  matter  from  the  be- 
ginning, and  expounded  it  by  order  unto  them,  "  then 
Peter  began  and  laid  the  matter  before  them  in  order^"^ 
saying, 

5.  I  was  in  the  city  of  Joppa  praying ;  and  in  a 
trance  I  saw  a  vision,  a  certain  vessel  descend,  as  it 
had  been  a  great  sheet,  let  down  from  heaven  by  four 
corners,  "  by  four  strings,''''  and  it  came  even  to  me. 


126  ACTS.  (xi.  1—18. 

6.  Upon  the  which,  when  I  had  fastened  my  eyes, 
I  considered,  and  saw  four-footed  beasts  of  the  earth, 
and  creeping  things  and  fowls  of  the  air. 

7.  And  I  heard  a  voice,  saying  unto  me.  Arise, 
Peter,  slay  and  eat. 

8.  But  I  said,  Not  so.  Lord  ;  for  nothing  common 
or  unclean  hath  at  any  time  entered  into  my  mouth. 

9.  But  the  voice  answered  me  again  from  heaven, 
AVhat  God  hath  cleansed,  that  call  not  thou  common. 

10.  And  this  was  done  three  times,  and  all  were 
drawn  up  again  into  heaven. 

11.  And,  behold,  immediately  ihere  were  three 
men  already  come  unto  the  house  where  I  was,  sent 
from  Cfesarea  unto  me. 

12.  And  the  Spirit  bade  me  go  with  them,  nothing 
doubting  ;  moreover,  these  six  brethren  accompanied 
me,  and  we  entered  into  the  man's  house. 

13.  And  he  showed  us  how  he  had  seen  an  angel 
in  his  house,  which  stood,  and  said  unto  him,  Send 
men  to  Joppa,  and  call  for  Simon,  whose  surname  is 
Peter  ; 

14.  Who   shall    tell    thee    words,   or,    "tell  thee 

things,'^''  whereby   thou  and   all  thy  house  shall   be 

saved,  "  may  he  saved.^'^ 

The  salvation  here  promised  to  Cornelius,  from  hearing  the  words 
of  Peter,  could  not  be  final  salvation,  or  the  happiness  of  a  future 
life  :  fur  that  he  might,  no  doubt,  have  secured,  by  persevering  in  the 
praj'ers,  and  the  alms  which  had  already  recommended  him  to  the 
divine  notice  ;  but  it  must  be  something  which,  in  his  present  con- 
dition, he  was  not  in  the  way  to  obtain  ;  and,  therefore,  to  be  saved, 
must  signify  here  deliverance  from  iiis  heathen  state,  a  state  of  great 
disadvantage  and  danger,  and  introduction  to  the  privileges  of  the 
gospel  dispensation.  Tiiis  salvation  he  could  not  obtain  without  the 
knowledge  of  the  gospel ;  the  other  might  be  secured  without  it, 
althougi),  no  doubt,  it  would  be  highly  conducive  to  that  end. 

15.  And  as  I  began  to  speak,  or,  "  after  I  had 
begun  to  speak,''''  the  Holy  Spirit  fell  on  them,  as  on 
us  at  the  beginning. 

That  is,  in  flames  of  fire,  as  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  intended  to 
represent  the  approach  of  God  to  perform  a  miracle,  by  bestowing 
the  gift  of  tongues. 


xi.  1—18.)  ACTS.  127 

16.  Then  remembered  I  the  word  of  the  Lord,  hovv 
that  he  said,  John,  indeed,  baptized  with  water,  but 
ye  shall  be  baptized  with  the  Holy  Spirit. 

This  was  the  language  of  Jesus  to  his  apostles  after  his  resurrec- 
tion ;  and  if  this  baptism  with  the  Spirit,  or  pouring  out  of  the 
Spirit,  was  a  proof  of  their  being  accepted  as  disciples  of  Christ, 
in  the  first  instance,  it  was  equally  so  on  the  present  occasion. 

17.  Forasmuch,  then,  as  God  gave  them  the  like 
gift  as  he  did  unto  us  who  believed  on  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  what  was  I,  that  I  could  withstand  God  ? 

To  have  refused  to  receive  as  brethren  those  upon  whom  God 
bestowed  the  same  marks  of  favour,  would  have  been  to  oppose  the 
designs  of  God,  and  an  instance  of  great  presumption. 

18.  When  they  heard  these  things,  they  held  their 
peace,  "  they  had  no  more  to  say,''"'  and  glorified  God, 
saying,  then  hath  God  also  to  the  Gentiles  granted 
repentance  unto  life. 

Repentance  does  not  here  signify  reformation  of  conduct,  but 
merely  a  change  of  opinion  from  heathenism  to  Christianit}^  These 
Jews  bless  God  for  inclining  the  Gentiles,  contrary  to  their  expecta- 
tions, to  such  a  change.  The  words,  "  unto  life,"  have  generally 
been  supposed  to  refer  unto  eternal  life,  to  the  prospect  of  which 
Gentiles  were  raised  by  the  profession  of  Christianity  ;  but  as  the 
Jews  spoke  of  the  Gentiles  as  dead,  they  would  naturally  express 
a  recovery  from  that  state  by  a  restoration  to  life.  Repentance  unto 
life,  then,  will  mean  no  more  than  a  change  of  mind  which  produces 
life.  Agreeably  to  this  interpretation,  tlie  apostle  Paul  exhorts 
Gentiles  to  yield  themselves  to  God,  as  those  who  are  alis'C  from  the 
dead. 


REFLECTIONS. 


The  conduct  of  those  Jews  who  so  readily  acquiesced  in  the 
admission  of  the  Gentiles  to  the  same  privileges  as  themselves,  is 
highly  worthy  of  commendation.  The}'  had  Bfeen  taught  to  conceive 
of  themselves  as  a  peculiar  people;  standing  high  in  the  favour  of 
God,  and  alone  worthy  of  divine  revelation  ;  the  Gentiles  they  were 
taught  to  regard  with  contempt  and  abhorrence,  as  a  people  abandon- 
ed by  God,  as  a  nation  of  sinners,  unclean  and  unholy.  This 
opinion  had  been  inculcated  upon  them  from  their  earliest  years, 
and  was  one  of  the  strongest  of  their  prejudices  ;  they  hear,  there- 
fore, with  surprise  and  indignation  of  Peter's  visit  to  them,  and  of 
his  receiving  Gentiles  by  baptism  into  the  Christian  church  ;  they 
blame  him  for  his  conduct,  and  resolve  to  discountenance  what  he 
had  done,  by  refusing  to  associate  with  this  people.  But  no  sooner 
are  they  satisfied  that  what  he  did  was  agreeable  to  the  will,  and  by 


128  ACTS.  (xi.  19— 3a 

the  express  direction  of  God,  than  they  resign  their  prejudices  at 
once,  and  submit  to  tl)e  decisions  of  infinite  wisdom.  Nay,  in  this 
measure  of  admittinj^  tiie  (Jentiles  to  embrace  the  gospel,  they  dis- 
cover a  new  proof  of  the  goodness  of  the  universal  Parent,  and  fresh 
motives  for  tlianksgiving  and  praise.  They  glorify  God  for  granting 
repentance  unto  the  Gentiles. 

If,  after  having  fallen  into  error,  we  have  discovered  our  mistake, 
let  us  not  be  backward  to  acknowledge  the  truth,  but  imitate  the 
conduct  of  those  devout  Jews  :  if  we  find  that  it  is  the  plan  of  Provi- 
dence that  mankind  be  saved  by  one  of  the  human  race,  and  not  by 
a  pre-existent  being  or  by  a  God  ;  that  man  should  possess  a  natural 
capacity  of  doing  the  divine  will,  inde[)endently  of  supernatural 
aid,  and  that  we  should  be  restored  to  (/od's  favour  upon  repentance 
and  reformation  alone,  without  the  intervention  of  a  third  person  ; 
whatever  our  pre-conceived  opinions  may  have  been,  and  however 
long  establishf'd,  let  us  learn  to  submit  our  judgments  to  superior 
autliority,  and  to  admire  the  wisdom  which  can  produce  such  great 
effects  by  such  simple  means. 


SECTION  XVII. 

Mission   of  Barnabas   and  tSaul   to  Antioch.       They   return    to 

Jerusalem. 

Acts  xi.  19 — 30. 

19.  Now  they  which  were  scattered  abroad  upon 
the  persecution  that  arose  about  Stephen,  travelled  as 
far  as  Phenice,  and  Cyprus,  and  Antioch.  (in  Syria,) 
preaching  the  word  to  none  but  unto  the  Jews  only. 

This  was  the  practice  of  the  first  teachers  of  Christianity  ;  but 
what  had  lately  occured  at  Caesarea,  induced  them  to  e.\tend  their 
labours.  Phenice  was  a  country  which  lay  to  the  north-west  of  Judtea  : 
Cyprus  was  a  large  island  in  the  Levant  or  Mediterranean  Sea. 

20.  And  some  of  them  were  men  of  Cyprus  and 
Cyrene,  a  region'of  Africa ;  wiiich,  when  they  were 
come  to  Antioch,  spake  unto  the  Grecians,  or, 
"  Greeks,'^''*  preaching  the  Lord  Jesus,  i.  e,  the  gospel 
of  the  Lord  Jesus. 

The  inhabitants  of  Antioch  and  of  these  parts  of  Asia  were 
called  Greeks,  because  they  spoke  the  (jreek  language.  To  them, 
although  (ientiles,  these  disciples  ventured  to  preach  the  gospel, 
after  having  heard,  probably,  what  Peter  had  done  in  Judaea. 

*  See  Griesbach. 


xi.  19—30.)  ACTS.  129 

21.  And  the  hand  of  the  Lord  was  with  them, 
i,  e.  they  ivere  enabled  to  work  miracles  :  and  a  great 
number  believed,  and  turned  to  the  Lord,  i.  e.  profes- 
sed themselves  the  disciples  of  Jesus. 

22.  Then  tidings  of  these 'things  came  unto  the 
ears  of  the  church  which  was  in  Jerusalem,  and  they 
sent  forth  Barnabas,  that  he  should  go  as  far  as 
Antioch. 

23.  Who  when  he  came,  and  had  seen  the  grace 
of  God,  '' the  kindness  of  God,''''  in  inclining  Gentiles 
to  believe  in  Jesus,  was  glad,  and  exhorted  them  all 
that  with  purpose  of  heart  they  would  cleave  unto  the 
Lord,  that  they  ivould  adhere  to  Christ. 

The  reason  for  his  earnestness  is  assigned  in  the  next  verse. 

24.  For  he  was  a  good  man,  and  full  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  and  of  faith ;  and  much  people  was  added  unto 
the  Lord. 

25.  Then  departed  Barnabas  to  Tarsus,  for  to  seek 
Saul. 

He  had  been  sent  to  Tarsus,  which  was  his  native  place,  by  the 
brethren  at  Jerusalem,  to  avoid  an  attempt  made  against  his 
life  by  some  zealous  Jewish  proselytes  with  whom  he  disputed,  as  we 
were  informed  in  tlie  ninth  chapter.  Barnabas,  who  had  been  be- 
fore acquainted  with  Saul,  went  to  seek  him,  as  a  useful  fellow- 
labourer  in  the  work  in  which  he  was  engaged. 

26.  And  when  he  had  found  him,  he  brought  him 
unto  Antioch.  And  it  came  to  pass,  that  a  whole 
year  they  assembled  themselves  with  the  church,  and 
taught  much  people.  And  the  disciples  were  called 
Christians  first  in  Antioch. 

As  Antioch  was  a  populous  city,  and  the  inhabitants  discovered 
a  readiness  to  receive  the  gospel,  Paul  and  Barnabas  found  en- 
couragement to  take  up  their  residence,  and  to  preach  there, 
for  a  long  time. 

Some  have  supposed  that  Christians  were  so  called  by  divine 
appointment,  and  that  this  is  implied  in  the  Greek  word  used  oa 
this  occasion  ;  but  it  was  so  natural  and  so  common  to  give  to 
disciples  the  name  of  their  teacher  or  master,  that  there  is  no 
occasion  to  have  recourse  to  a  miracle.  Before  this  time  they  had 
undoubtedly  a  name  ;  but  they  liad  been  hilherto  called  Nazarenes, 
disciples  or  believers.  Their  new  name  seems  to  have  been  of 
Latin  origin  ;  for  it  has  a  Latin  and  not  a  Greek  termination,  and 

VOL.    III.  R 


130  ACTS.  (xi.  19— 30. 

was  probably  eiven  tbcm  by  the  Romans,  to  whom  Antioch  was 
at  this  time  subject.  Had  (Miristians  given  it  to  themselves,  it  is 
probable  that  the  writer  of  this  history  would  have  used  it ;  but  it 
is  remarkable  that  he  carefully  avoids  this  appellation,  calling  them 
brethren,  believers,  and  saints.  The  same  observation  has  been 
made  respecting  the  apostle  Paul,  who  never  calls  the  disciples  of 
Christ  Christians,  but  speaks  of  them  under  some  other  denomina- 
tion. They  are  once  called  so  by  Peter.  (1  Ep.  iv.  IG.)  The 
reason  of  this  caution  in  Paul  and  Luke  was  probably  an  appre- 
hension that  by  giving  them  that  name,  they  might  make  Christ 
appear  like  an  ordinary  leader  of  a  sect  among  the  heathen 
j)hilosophers.* 

27.  And  in  these  days  came  prophets,  "/eac/ters," 
from  Jerusalem  unto  Antioch. 

Their  oflicc  was  that  of  instructors,  and  they  came  hither  for 
the  purpose  of  preaching  the  gospel :  one  of  them,  indeed,  deliv- 
ers a  prediction,  but  as  this  power  of  foretelling  future  events  was 
only  occasional,  it  would  not  entitle  him  to  the  appellation  of  a 
prophet,  in  the  same  sense  in  which  wo  apply  the  term  to  the 
prophets  of  the  Old  Testament;  or,  if  he  deserved  the  name, 
there  appears  no  reason  for  giving  it  to  all  his  companions. 

28.  And  there  stood  up  one  of  them,  named 
Agabus,  and  signified  by  the  spirit  that  there  would 
be  great  dearth,  '•Ui  great  famine,''^  throughout  all  the 
world,  which  came  to  pass  in  the  days  of  Claudius 
Csesar. 

The  words  which  we  translate  all  the  world,  frequently  signify 
no  more  than  all  the  land,  and  are  to  be  taken  in  a  more  enlarged 
or  limited  sense,  according  to  the  subject  of  which  the  writer  is 
speaking  :  as,  in  the  present  instance,  Jerusalem  is  the  place  last 
mentioned,  the  whole  land  will  signify  the  whole  country  of  Judaja, 
and  the  meaning  of  the  writer  is,  that  the  famine  was  not  confined 
to  Jerusalem,  but  extended  over  all  the  neighbouring  territory. 
Luke  tells  us  that  this  prediction  was  fulfilled  under  Claudius 
Caesar,  and  we  learn  from  Josephus  that  such  a  famine  actually 
took  place  in  Judaea,  in  the  reign  of  this  prince,  and  about  this 
time. 

29.  Then  the  disciples,  every  man  according  to 
his  ability,  determined  to  send  relief  unto  the  breth- 
ren which  dwelt  in  Juda3a  : 

This  itself  is  a  proof  that  the  famine  was  not  expected  to 
extend  to  this  country;  for  otherwise  they  would  not  have  deter- 
mined upon  this  act  of  liberality,  when  they  themselves  were  likely 
to  want ;  or,  if  they  had  done  so,  such  an  act  of  generosity  could 
not  have  failed  to  be  noticed  by  this  historian. 

*  Larduer,  Vol.  \\.  p.  2G5,  &.c. 


xu. 


1—25.)  ACTS.  131 

30.     Which  also  they  did,  and  sent  it  to  the  elders 
by  the  hands  of  Barnabas  and  Saul. 


REFLECTIONS. 


1,  The  exhortation  of  Barnabas  to  the  Christians  at  Antioch, 
that  with  purpose  of  heart  they  would  cleave  lo  the  Lord,  is  equally 
proper  for  the  professors  of  the  gospel  at  the  present  day.  1  he 
temptations  to  desert  him  are  not  few  or  light ;  if  we  are  not  now 
exposed  to  persecution,  we  have  trials  of  another  kmd,  which 
are  not  less  dangerous.  Unlawful  pleasure  and  unrighteous  gain 
entice  us  to  violate  the  precepts  of  Christ ;  the  insinuating  arts  ot 
unbelievers  are  calculated  to  undermine  our  faith;  in  either  case 
the  effect  will  be  equally  fatal:  Guard  yourselves,  Christians, 
against  these  evils,  and  be  not  offended  with  those  who  warn  you 
of  your  danger. 

2.  The  liberality  of  the  Christians  at  Antioch  to  their  brethren 
in  Judffia,  in  a  seaso'n  of  distress,  is  a  pleasing  proof  and  specimen 
of  the  spirit  of  the  gospel.  To  the  inhabitants  of  Judaea  m 
general,  and  particularly  to  the  church  at  Jerusalem,  they  were 
indebted  for  the  knowledge  of  the  most  important  truth.  Ihey 
could  not  make  them  a  sufficient  return  by  communicating  a  like 
favour;  but  what  they  have  they  are  willing  to  give;  having  re- 
ceived spiritual  blessings,  they  send  them  such  as  are  temporal,  as 
a  proof  of  their  thankfulness.  In  this  instance  they  acted  the 
part  of  gratitude  and  benevolence ;  and  where  men  are  sensible  ot 
the  value  of  the  gospel  in  the  present  day,  they  will  be  ready  to 
manifest  their  gratitude  in  a  like  manner. 


SECTION  XVIII. 


Herod  puts  to  death  James,  and  imprisons  Peter,  w?io  is  miram- 
lously  delivered.     Death  of  Herod. 


Acts  xii.  1 — 25. 


1.  Now  about  that  time  Herod  the  king  stretched 
forth  his  hand  to  vex,  "  ^o /mri,"  certain  of  the 
church  : 

This  Herod  is  not  the  same  with  the   prince   of  that  name  who 
put  John  the  Baptist  to  death,  and  before  whom  our  Lord  appeared 
at  Jerusalem  ;  but  one  of  the  same   family,  who,   therefore,  takes 
the  family  name:  he  is  distinguished  by   the    additional  name  of 
Arrippa,  as  the  other  is  by  that  of  Antipas.     Josephus  represents 


132  ACTS.  (xl.  1—25. 

him  as  strongly  attached  to  the  institutions  of  the  Jews,  and  as  taking 
much  pains  to  render  himself  agreeable  to  them  ;  which  disposi- 
tion, probably,  induced  iiim  to  commence  a  persecution  against  the 
disciples  of  Jesus.* 

2.  And  he   killed   James,   the   brother   of  John, 

with  the  sword. 

These  were  the  two  sons  of  Zebedee,  the  fisherman,  and  our 
Lord  had  informed  them,  that  they  should  drink  of  the  same  cup 
with  himself;  a  prophecy  which  was  in  part  fulfilled  upon  the 
present  occasion. 

3.  And  because  he  saw  it  pleased  the   Jews,  he 

proceeded  farther  to  take  Peter   also.      (Then  were 

the  days  of  unleavened  bread.) 

He  did  not  choose,  perhaps,  to  disturb  the  harmony  of  the 
festival  by  an  execution.  The  Jews  ate  unleavened  bread  for 
several  days  before  the  passover  ;  hence  the  whole  festival  came  to 
be  called  the  feast  or  festival  of  unleavened  bread. 

4.  And  when  he  had  apprehended  him,  he  put 
him  in  prison,  and  delivered  him  to  four  quaternions 
of  soldiers,  i.  e.  to  sixteen  soldiers,  to  keep  him  ; 
intending,  after  Easter,  "  after  the  passover,^^  to  bring 
him  forth  to  the  people. 

He  set  so  many  soldiers  to  guard  Peter,  because  he  came  out  of 
prison  the  last  time  ho  was  put  there,  in  a  way  which  they  did  not 
know  how  to  account  for. 

I  can  see  no  reason  for  introducing  the  term  Easter  into  the 
English  translation  of  this  verse,  but  a  desire  to  countenance  a 
modern  festival  by  the  authority  of  the  apostolic  age.  The  word 
used  in  the  original,  signifies  passover,  and  ought  so  to  be  rendered. 

5.  Peter,    therefore,    was   kept    in    prison ;    but 

prayer  was  made  without  ceasing,  or,  "  earnest  prayer 

was  madc,^^  of  the  church  unto  God  for  him. 

The  object  of  these  prayers  was,  no  doubt,  to  entreat  Heaven 
to  exercise  the  same  miraculous  powers  for  his  benefit  in  the 
present  instance,  which  had  been  exerted  before.  To  pray  to 
God  for  benefits  which  we  desire  for  ourselves  or  our  friends,  is 
highly  proper  at  all  times. 

6.  And    when    Herod    would    have    brought  him 
forth,  the  same  night  Peter  was  sleeping  between  two 
soldiers,  bound  with  two  chains,  to  hind  him  to  each  of 
the  soldiers,  and   keepers   before    the   door   kept  the 
prison. 

•  Lardner,  Vol.  I  p.  20,  &c. 


xi.  1—25.)  ACTS.  133 

7.  And,  behold,  the  angel  of  the  Lord  came  upon 
him,  "  came  to  hiin,^^  and  a  light  shined  in  the  prison, 
"  in  the  room,''''  and  he  smote  Peter  on  the  side,  and 
raised  him  up,  saying.  Arise  up  quickly  ;  and  the 
chains  fell  off  from  his  hands. 

8.  And  the  angel  said  unto  him.  Gird  thyself, 
^^gird  thy  coat  about  thee,''"'  and  bind  on  thy  sandals  : 
and  so  he  did  ;  and  he  saith  unto  him,  Cast  thy  gar- 
ment,  "  thy  macule,''''  about  thee,  and  follow  me. 

9.  And  he  went  out  and  followed  him,  and  wist 
not,  "  kneio  not,''''  that  it  was  true  which  was  done 
by  the  angel,  but  thought  he  saw  a  vision. 

10.  When  they  were  past  the  first  and  second 
ward,  they  came  unto  the  iron  gate,  so  called  because 
it  was  covered  ivith  iron  plates,*  that  leadeth  unto  the 
city,  which  opened  to  them  of  its  own  accord, 
i.  e.  ivithout  the  application  of  any  external  means ; 
and  they  went  out,  and  passed  on  through  one  street, 
and  forthwith  the  angel  departed  from  him. 

11.  And  when  Peter  was  come  to  himself,  ivas 
recovered  from  his  surprise,  he  said,  Now  I  know  of  a 
surety,  or,  ^'■certainly,''''  that  the  Lord  hath  sent  his 
angel,  and  hath  delivered  me  out  of  the  hand  of 
Herod,  and  from  all  the  expectation  of  the  people  of 
the  Jews. 

Peter  knew  something  of  the  nature  of  vision,  because  he  had 
already  seen  one ;  yet  he  seems  to  have  been  doubtful  for  some 
time,  whether  what  happened  to  him  at  this  time,  might  not  be 
one,  which  shows,  that  the  impressions  made  upon  the  imagination 
by  visions  were  not  easily  distinguishable  at  the  time,  from 
those  made  upon  the  senses,  however  they  might  be  discerned 
afterwards.  Paul  remained  in  uncertainty  upon  this  subject  many 
years  after  the  event ;  for,  after  saying  that  he  was  canght  up  into 
the  third  heaven,  he  adds,  "whether  in  the  body  or  out  of  the  body 
I  cannot  tell ;"  i.  e.  whether  literally  and  truly,  or  only  by  mental 
representation. t 

12.  And  when  he  had  considered  the  thing, 
"  after  some  consideration,''''  i.  e.  about  ivhat  he  should 
do,  or  whither  he  should  go,  he  came  to  the  house  of 

*  Harmer's  Observations,  Vol.  I.  p.  207. 
t  Farmer  on  Christ's  Temptation,  p.  36. 


134  ACTS.  (xi.  1—25. 

Mary,  the  mother  of  John,  whose  surname  was  Mark, 
wlicre  many  were  gathered  together  praying. 

13.  And  as  Peter  knocked  at  the  door  of  the 
gate,  "  of  the  porch,^^  a  damsel,  "  a  maid  servant^'''' 
came  to  hearken,  named  Rhoda. 

Her  caution  is  a  proof  of  the  state  of  alarm  in  which  the 
Christians  were  at  this  time. 

14.  And  when  she  knew  Peter's  voice,  she  opened 
not  the  porch  for  gladness,  but  ran  in,  and  told  how 
Peter  stood  before  the  porch. 

15.  And  they  said  unto  her,  Thou  art  mad :  but 
she  constantly  aflirmed,  that  it  was  even  so.  Then 
said  they.  It  is  his  angel. 

It  was  an  opinion  amongst  many  of  the  Jews,  that  every  man 
had  his  guardian  angel,  who  waited  upon  him,  and  took  care  of 
Jjim.  To  this  notion  Christ  seems  to  refer,  without,  however, 
giving  it  the  sanction  of  his  authority,  when  speaking  of  little 
children,  he  says,  "  Behold,  I  say  unto  you,  their  angels  behold 
the  face  of  my  Father."  Upon  this  idea,  some  seem  to  have  im- 
proved, by  supposing,  as  in  this  passage,  that  the  guardian  angel, 
as  he  was  called,  might  assume  the  voice  and  ftgure  of  the  person 
whom  he  protected  ;  and  truly,  if  men  will  indulge  their  imagina- 
tions on  the  subject  of  angels,  there  will  be  no  end  to  their  suppo- 
sitions. It  was  the  opinion  of  the  Sadducees,  however,  that  the 
angels  mentioned  in  Scripture,  who  bore  the  character  of  intelli- 
gence, were  not  a  distinct  order  of  beings,  but  either  men  or  phan- 
toms, raised  up  for  the  occasion  ;  which  opinion,  if  found  to  be 
true,  as  I  am  inclined  to  think  it  will  be,  would  have  the  good 
eflect  of  freeing  the  world  from   much  superstition  on  this  subject. 

16.  But  Peter  continued  knocking;  and  when 
they  had  opened  the  door,  and  saw  him,  they  were 
astonished. 

1 7.  But  he,  beckoning  to  them  with  the  hand  to 
hold  their  peace,  declared  unto  them  how  the  Lord 
had  brought  him  out  of  the  prison.  And  he  said, 
Go,  show  these  things  unto  James  and  to  the  brethren. 
And  he  departed,  and  went  to  another  place,  in  order 
to  conceal  himself. 

The  James,  mentioned  in  this  verse,  was  the  son  of  Alpheus, 
our  Lord's  relation,  and  the  author  of  the  epistle  which  bears  his 
name.  The  James,  who  was  slain,  was  one  of  the  sons  of  Zebedee. 
Peter  directs  them  to  give  information  to  him  respecting  his  deliv- 
erance from  prison,  because  he  resided  at  Jerusalem,  and  was  a 
distinguished  person  among  the  apostles. 


xi.  1—25.  ACTS.  135 

18.  Now  as  soon  as  it  was  day,  there  was  no  small 

stir  among  the  soldiers,  what   was  become  of  Peter. 

They  were  probably  thrown  into  a  deep  sleep,  when  the  events 
before-mentioned  took  place. 

19.  And  when  Herod  had  sought  for  him,  and 
found  him  not,  he  examined  the  keepers,  and  com- 
manded that  they  should  be  put  to   death,  "  led   out 

for  execution. ''''  And  he  went  down  from  Jerusalem 
to  Caesarea,  and  there  abode,  or,  "  he  went  down  from 
Jerusalem^  and  abode  at  C(Esarea.^^* 

Having  finished  the  story  of  Peter,  the  historian  proceeds  to 
relate  the  death  of  Herod,  which  put  an  end  to  the  persecution 
that  began  to  rage  against  the  Christians. 

20.  And  Herod  was  highly  displeased  with  them 
of  Tyre  and  Sidon :  but  they  came  with  one  accord 
to  him,  and,  having  made  Blastus,  the  king's  cham- 
berlain, their  friend,  desired  peace,  because  their 
country  was  nourished  by  the  king's  country. 

Their  territory  being  small,  they  were  not  able  to  furnish  them- 
selves with  grain,  but  depended  upon  Judaea,  and  other  countries 
subject  to  Herod,  for  supplies.  It  was  from  interested  motives, 
therefore,  and  not  from  a  sense  of  their  fault,  that  they  made 
submission. 

21.  And  upon  a  set  day,  Herod,  arrayed  in  royal 
apparel,  sat  upon  his  throne,  and  made  an  oration  unto 
them. 

22.  And  the  people  gave  a  shout,  saying.  It  is  the 
voice  of  a  god,  and  not  of  a  man. 

23.  And  immediately  the  angel  of  th&  Lord  smote 
him,  because  he  gave  not  God  the  glory ;  and  he  was 
eaten  of  worms,  and  gave  up   the   ghost,  "  expired.'^'* 

This  account  given  by  Josephus  of  the  death  of  Herod,  corres- 
ponds in  many  particulars  with  that  now  read  :  for  he  represents 
him  as  suddenly  seized  with  violent  pains  in  the  bowels,  in  the 
midst  of  the  theatre  of  Caesarea,  after  he  had  appeared  there  in 
his  royal  robes,  and  been  complimented  with  the  appellation  of 
god,  and  as  dying  of  this  complaint  in  five  days.  He  also  seems 
to  attribute  his  death  to  God,  as  a  punishment  for  his  not  reproving 
the  persons  who  oflercd  him  such  impious  flattery.  The  circum- 
stance of  his  being  eaten  by  worms,  is  not  mentioned  by  the  Jewish 
historian  ;  but  it  is  not  surprising,  that  he  should  omit  a  particular 
so  little  consistent  with  the  dignity  of  the  prince  whom  he  meant  to 

*  Wakefield's  Silva  Critica,  Part  Second,  Sect.  IV. 


13G  ACTS.  (xi.  1—25. 

honour.  Luke  says,  that  he  was  smitten  with  this  disorder; 
i.  e.  with  a  disorder  that  bred  worms,  by  an  angel,  which  aflords  a 
proof  among  many  others,  that  any  instrument  employed  by  the 
Divine  Being  to  inllict  punishment,  or  to  confer  favours,  is,  in  the 
Scriptures,  called  an  angel  of  God.  Thus  we  find  it  said,  in  one 
place,  that  the  Lord  sent  a  pestilence  upon  Israel,  to  punish  David 
for  numbering  the  people  ;  and  in  another,  tiiat  he  sent  an  angel  to 
intlict  this  punishment ;  and  thus,  likewise, God  is  said  to  have  sent  his 
angel  to  shut  the  mouths  of  the  lions  to  whom  Daniel  was  thrown. 
This  account  of  angels  is  by  no  means  inconsistent  with  the  pre- 
ceding ;  for  there  is  no  reason  to  suppose  that  there  was  any 
appearance  of  an  intelligent  being  in  any  of  these  cases.  The 
historian,  having  finished  his  account  of  the  death  of  Herod, 
proceeds  with  his  narrativo. 

24.  But  the  word  of  God  grew  and    multiplied  : 

25.  And  Barnabas  and  Saul  returned  from  Jerusa- 
lem, when  they  had  fulfilled  their  ministry,  i.  e.  had  con- 
veyed to  that  city  the  contributions  of  the  Christians  at 
Antioch,  and  took  with  them,  John,  whose  surname 
was  Mark. 


REFLECTIONS. 

1.  We  learn  hence  the  danger  to  which  the  first  preachers  of 
the  gospel  were  exposed,  and  the  value  of  their  testimony  in  such 
circumstances.  Wc  see  that  James,  an  apostle  and  leader  among 
the  Christians,  is  apprehended  and  slain  for  his  attachment  to  the 
cause,  and  although  others  who  are  seized  do  not  share  his  fate,  yet 
the  event,  being  unknown,  it  would  have  upon  their  minds,  all  the 
effects  of  real  danger ;  for  one  miraculous  deliverance  did  not 
ensure  a  second  for  the  same  person,  much  loss  a  like  deliverance 
for  all.  To  persist  in  asserting  the  divine  commission  of  Jesus  in 
such  circunistanccs,  and  in  preaching  the  truths  which  he  taught, 
was  to  do  what  nothing  but  a  conviction  of  their  doctrine  being 
divine,  and  of  its  supreme  importance  to  mankind,  could  have 
dictated.  Here  then,  Christians,  you  behold  the  rock  upon  which 
your  faith  is  erected  ;  the  evidence  of  men  who  delivered  what 
they  taught,  at  the  hazard  of  their  lives.  Of  better  testimony 
than  this  it  is  impossible  to  conceive. 

2.  How  vain  is  the  power  of  man  when  opposed  to  that  of 
God  !  Peter  is  seized  by  order  of  the  king;  he  is  inclosed  within 
a  triple  wall ;  he  is  watched  by  more  than  an  usual  number  of  guards, 
and  he  is  fastened  by  a  chain  to  his  keepers  :  but  all  these  precau- 
tions are  to  no  purpose,  and  had  they  been  multiplied  ten-fold,  they 
would  have  been  equally  incfiectual.  The  chains  drop  from  his 
hands ;  the  keepers  are  thrown  into  a  deep  sleep,  and  the  iron 
gates  open  of  their  own  accord.     Vain  is  the  contest  between  an 


xlii.  1-12.)  ACTS.  137 

arm  of  flesh  and  the  arm  of  Omnipotence  !  All  strength  is  His  ;  the 
powers  of  nature  are  only  His  energy ;  let  not  mortals,  however 
exalted,  dare  to  oppose  His  counsels. 

3.  We  see  how  absurd  is  the  flattery  paid  to  princes  and  other 
great  men.  They  are  often  denominated  (he  Most  High  and 
Mighty,  the  Sovereigns  of  mankind,  and  the  Lords  of  the  Universe, 
and  eue  addressed  in  language  which  belongs  exclusively  to  the 
Supreme  Being.  Yet  diseases'' attack  them  as  they  do  other  men, 
and  they  are  as  liable  as  others  to  the  stroke  of  death.  Yea,  the 
smallest  and  the  meanest  worm  is  their  superior,  and  able  to 
accomplish  their  ruin.  To  flatter  such  frail  beings,  by  ascribing  to 
them  the  attributes  of  Deity,  is  degrading  and  aljsurd :  to  accept 
such  flattery  is  still  more  reprehensible. 


SECTION  XIX. 


Barnabas  and  Saul  visit   Cyprus.     The  punishment  of  Ehjmas 
and  conversion  of  Sergius  Paulus. 


Acts  xiii.  I — 12. 


1.  Now  there  were  in  the  church  that  was  at 
Antioch,  certain  prophets,  ''  instructers,^^  and  teacliers  ; 
as  Barnabas  and  Simeon  that  was  called  Niger,  and 
Lucius  of  Cyrene,  and  Manaen,  who  had  been  brought 
up  with  Herod  the  tetrarch,  i.  e.  wJio  was  Herod^s 
foster-brother^  and  Saul. 

As  Paul  and  Barnabas  had  spent  a  whole  year  in  preaching  at 
Antioch,  and  the  disciples  were  lirst  called  Christians  at  that 
place,  it  is  probable  that  their  number  was  considerable.  This 
will  account  for  their  having  so  many  teachers,  who  might  be  em- 
ployed in  instructing  many  different  societies.  Of  the  persons 
here  mentioned,  we  know  nothing  besides,  with  certainty,  jf  we 
except  Paul  and  Barnabas.  Lucius  of  Cyrene,  it  has  been 
thought,  was  Luke,  the  author  of  this  history  and  of  the  gospel 
which  bears  his  name.  The  foster-brother  of  Herod  must  have  been 
a  person  of  some  rank  and  consideration. 

2.  As  they  ministered  to  the  Lord  and  fasted,  the 
Holy  Spirit  said,  Separate  me  Barnabas  and  Saul  for 
the  work  whereunto  I  have  called  them  ;  i.  e.  sepa- 
rate them  from  the  rest  of  the  teachers,  or  from  the 
church. 

This  message  was  delivered  in  the  name  of  God  by   one  of  the 


vol..   HI. 


13S  ACTS.  (xlli.  1—12. 

company  ;  and  the  particular  service  to  which  these  persons  were 
called,  was  mentioned  at  the  same  time,  although  it  be  not  recorded 
by  the  historian;  unless,  indeed,  we  suppose,  what  is  not  very  im- 
probable, that  Barnabas  had  already  been  informed  that  he  was  to 
preach  the  gospel  to  the  Gentiles,  as  we  know  that  Paul  had, 
Acts  ix.  15,  xxii.  21.  This  divine  mcssajre  is  said  to  have  come 
while  they  ministered  to  the  Lord  and  fasted;  i.  e.  while  they 
were  engaged  in  such  solemn  prayer  as  was  accompanied  with 
fasting;  the  object  of  their  prayer  being,  probably,  to  procure  the 
assistance  of  miraculous  powers,  for  the  prosecution  of  their  work. 
These  powers,  although  sometimes  given  unasked,  could  at  other 
times  only  be  procured  by  prayer,  and  that  of  the  most  solemn 
and  earnest  kind.  Accordingly,  our  Saviour  says,  when  speaking 
of  daemons,  "  this  kind  goeth  not  out  but  by  prayer  and  fasting." 
Matt.  xvii.  21. 

3.  And  when  they  had  fasted  and  prayed,  and 
laid  their  hands  on  them,  they  sent  them  away. 

Paul  and  Barnabas  had  both  been  preachers  of  the  gospel  for 
some  time,  and,  therefore,  could  want  no  authority  for  that 
purpose  ;  but,  being  about  to  enter  upon  a  particular  ministry,  the 
above-mentioned  teachers  at  Antioch,  or  the  church  there,  (for  it 
is  not  certain  which  of  these  is  referred  to,)  assembled  together  to 
offer  up  earnest  prayer  for  their  success.  It  is  said  they  laid  their 
hands  on  them  ;  but  by  this  action  they  could  not  mean  to  express 
the  communication  of  authority  or  of  miraculous  powers;  for  they 
were  in  possession  of  both  already;  but  merely  to  point  out  to  the 
assembly,  the  persons  who  were  the  objects  of  that  prayer. 

4.  So  they,  being  sent  forth  by  the  Holy  Spirit, 
departed  unto  Seleucia,  a  town  in  Syria,  and  from 
thence  they  sailed  to  Cyprus,  a  large  island  in  the 
Mediterranean. 

5.  And  when  they  were  at  Salamis,  a  considera- 
ble town  in  the  island,  they  preached  the  word  of  God 
in  the  synagogues  of  the  Jews,  and  they  had  also 
John  to  their  minister. 

lie  did  not  preach,  but  assisted  them  with  those  services  for 
which  they  would  have  occasion  in  such  a  journey.  This  John 
had  the  surname  of  Mark,  as  we  are  told  in  the  last  chapter,  verse 
the  twelfth,  and  is  supposed,  with  great  probability,  to  be  the  same 
person  with  the  evangelist.* 

6.  And  when  they  had  gone  through  the  isle  unto 
Paphos,  they  found  a  certain  sorcerer,  "  a  magician,'''* 
a  false  prophet,  "  a  false  teacher,''''  a  Jew,  whose 
name  was  Bar-Jesus  : 

*  Lardner,  article  Mark. 


xiii.  1—12.)  ACTS.  139 

7.  Who  was  with  the  deputy  of  the  country, 
"  with  the  proconsul,^''  Sergius  Paulus,  a  prudent  man, 
"«  sensible  man,''''  who  called  for  Barnabas  and  Saul, 
and  desired  to  hear  the  word  of  God. 

Some  have  supposed  that  Luke  was  guiUy  of  a  little  inaccuracy 
in  calling  the  governor  of  this  island  a  proconsul,  as  the  original 
word  signifies;  but  Dr.  Lardner  has  shown,  in  a  ver}'  satisfactory 
manner,  that  this  appellation  was  strictly  accurate,  and  that,  in  this 
respect,  he  was  better  informed  than  those  who  have  pretended  to 
correct  him. 

Sorcerers  or  magicians  were  persons  who,  by  their  pretended 
knowledge  of  the  secret  powers  of  nature,  and  the  assistance  of 
the  gods,  professed  to  foretel  future  events,  and  to  do  other  extra- 
ordinary things.  Such  was  the  character  of  Bar-Jesus  or  Elymas, 
who  is,  therefore,  justly  branded  with  the  name  of  a  false  teacher 
or  impostor.  He  pretended  to  knowledge  which  he  was  conscious 
that  he  did  not  possess,  and  was,  therefore,  with  good  reason, 
treated  by  the  apostles  as  a  wicked  man. 

8.  But  Elymas  the  magician  (for  so  is  his  name 
by  interpretation)  withstood  them,  seeking  to  turn 
away  the  proconsul  from  the  faith. 

Elyn;as  expresses  in  the  Arabic  or  Persian  language  what  the 
Greek  for  magician  does.  He  was  well  aware  that  if  the  Chris- 
tian doctrine  were  believed  by  the  people  in  general,  and  more 
especially  by  the  governor,  his  own  art  and  character  would  sink 
into  disrepute ;  he  therefore  strove  to  oppose  them  ;  but  in  what 
manner  his  opposition  was  conducted  we  are  not  told. 

9.  Then  Saul,  who  also  is  called  Paul,  filled  with 
the  Holy  Spirit,  set  his  eyes  on  him, 

Some  suppose  that  Paul's  name  was  given  him  by  the  Romans, 
on  account  of  the  similarity  which  it  bears  to  the  word  Saul ; 
but  others  suppose  by  himself,  out  of  compliment  to  his  illustrious 
disciple,  Sergius  Paulus. 

The  phrase,  "  being  full  of  the  Holy  Spirit,"  does  not  refer  to 
the  words  which  follow,  as  if  they  proceeded  immediately  from 
God,  but  to  the  miraculous  punishment  which  Paul  inflicted,  which 
was  a  proof  that  he  abounded  with  the  gifts  of  the  Spirit.  The 
confidence,  however,  with  which  he  spoke,  proceeded,  probably, 
from  his  consciousness  of  possessing  these  powers. 

10.  And  said,  O  full  of  all  subtilty  and  all 
mischief,  thou  child  of  the  devil,  thou  enemy  of  all 
righteousness,  wilt  thou  not  cease  to  pervert  the 
right  ways  of  the  Lord  ? 

This  is  a  proper  description  of  a  man  whose  great  object  was  to 
enrich  himself  by  false  pretences,  andjby  imposing^  upon  the 
credulity  of  mankind.      He  is  called  the  child  or  son  of  the  devil, 


140  ACTS.  (xiii.  1—12. 

because  he  resenililed  the  supposed  autlior  of  all  evil  in  disposition, 
as  a  child  rcsembli's  its  p:irciit. 

11.  And  now,  behold,  the  hand  of  the  Lord  is 
upon  thoc,  and  tliou  shalt  be;  blind,  not  seeing  the  sun 
for  a  season.  And  immediately  there  fell  on  him  a  mist 
and  a  darkness,  a  mist  came  over  his  eyes  first,  and 
darJcncss  afterwards,  and  he  went  about,  seeking  some 
to  lead  him  by  the  hand. 

12.  Then  the  proconsul,  when  he  saw  what  was 
done,  believed,  being  astonished  at  the  doctrine  of  the 
Lord. 

lie  was  astonisliod  at  the  eflect  of  the  doctrine,  and  induced,  on 
this  account,  to  embrace  it. 


REFLECTIONS. 


1.  In  commending  to  God  by  prayer  the  first  preachers  of  the 
gospel,  Christians  showed  the  idea  which  they  entertained  of  the 
importance  of  their  message,  and  the  anxiety  which  they  felt  for 
its  success,  regarding  it  as  connected  with  the  honour  of  Cod  and 
the  best  interests  of  men.  To  express  this  anxiety  before  their 
Father  and  their  God,  would  have  a  natural  tendency  to  impress 
their  minds  with  a  sense  of  the  value  of  the  gospel,  and  to  in- 
crease their  attachment  to  it,  whatever  might  be  its  effect  upon  the 
progress  of  Ciiristianity  in  the  world;  it  was,  therefore,  an  im- 
portant and  useful  exercise. 

Similar  prayers  for  the  success  of  the  ministers  of  Christ,  are 
equally  proper  in  the  present  day  ;  for  his  doctrine  has  not  lessened 
in  value  by  distance  of  Time  ;  if  it  is  not  now  new  to  the  world, 
yet  it  has  been  altered  and  corrupted  in  a  manner  that  has  greatly 
injured  its  beauty  and  destroyed  its  efficacy:  in  its  original  purity 
it  is  still  an  unknown  doctrine  to  many.  It  becomes  us,  therefore, 
to  pray  that  those  who  preach  the  gospel  may  have  wisdom  to 
discern,  integrity  and  courage  to  avow,  the  truth  on  all  occasions ; 
that  the  love  of  gain  and  the  love  of  the  favour  of  men  may 
never  tempt  thcin  to  be  ashamed  of  Christ  and  his  cause  ;  and 
that  the  truth,  when  taught,  may  be  received  with  unprejudiced 
minds  by  men  in  every  condition  of  life. 

2.  We  see,  hero,  that  tlie  gospel  obtains  fresh  triumphs.  Its 
])roselytcs,  hitherto,  had  been  principally  men  of  ordinary  occupa- 
tions in  life,  fisherirn'n,  teut-makers,  and  other  mechanics:  men 
who  had  not  the  pr(>judiccs  of  wealth  and  high  station,  in  addition 
to  tliose  of  education,  to  overcome ;  but  now  we  s-ee  a  Roman 
governor,  trained  up  in  idolatry  and  superstition,  and  regarded  as 
the  protector  and  j)atron  of  the  religion  of  his  countrymen,  a 
man  of  good  understanding,  and  enjoying  the  best  education  which 


xiii.  13—25.)  ACTS.  141 

Rome  could  afford,  sacrificing  liis  prejudices  and  his  Interests,  and 
yielding  to  the  force  ol'  truth,  professing  the  gospel,  not  perhaps  at 
the  hazard  of  his  life,  but  at  the  hazard  of  what  he  probably  esteem- 
ed as  more  valuable,  his  place.  No  slight  motive  could  surely  induce 
him  to  make  such  a  change  ;  evidence  which  could  overcome  so 
many  prejudices  must  have  something  in  it  peculiarly  I'orcible ;  a 
doctrine  which  could  produce  the  sacrifice  of  so  many  interests 
must  have  something  in  it  of  more  than  ordinary  value  and  impor- 
tance. The  apostle's  declaration  is,  however,  still  tiue,  that  not 
many  wise  men  after  the  llesh,  not  many  mighty,  not  many  noble, 
are  called.  Some  there  were,  however,  of  this  description,  and 
their  conversion  is  an  illustrious  proof  that  the  gospel  was  adapted 
to  gain  the  attachment  of  men  in  all  situations,  and  ought  to 
recommend  it  to  our  regard. 

We  see,  also,  a  celebrated  professor  of  magic,  actuated  by 
jealousy  and  self-interest,  opposing  the  gospel;  who,  inured  to  the 
arts  of  deceit  himself,  was  most  likely  to  detect  them  in  others; 
but  so  far  is  he  trom  injuring  the  cause  of  truth,  that  his  opposition 
serves  to  confirm  and  establish  it,  and  to  bring  entire  disgrace  upon 
himself. 


SECTION  XX. 

Paul  and  Barnabas  preach  the  gospel  at  Antioch  in  Pisidia. 

Acts  xiii.  13 — 52. 

13.  Now  when  Paul  and  his  company  loosed 
from  Paphos,  they  came  to  Perga  in  Pamphylia,  and 
John,  departing  from  them,  returned  to  Jerusalem. 

He  was  either  discouraged  by  the  difficulties  of  the  undertaking, 
or  thought  it  necessary  to  attend  to  his  own  private  affairs. 

14.  But  when  they  departed  from  Perga,  they 
came  to  Antioch   in  Pisidia,  so  called  to  distinguish  it 

from  Antioch  in  Syria,  and  went  into  the   synagogue 
on  the  sabbath-day,  and  sat  down  ; 

15.  And  after  the  reading  of  the  law  and  the 
prophets,  that  is,  a  section  of  each,  according  to  the 
custom  of  the  Jews,  the  rulers  of  the  synagogue  sent 
unto  them,  saying,  Brethren,  if  ye  have  any  word  of 
exhortation  for  the  people,  say  on. 

It  was  usual  for  the  rulers  to  call  upon  some  one  to  explain 
what  had  just  been  read  from  the  Scriptures;  or  to  found  some 
exhortation  upon  it;  and  seeing  strangers  there  who,  they  had 
heard,  were  professed  teachers,  they  call  upon  them  to  do  it. 
With  this  request  Paul  readily  complies. 


142  ACTS.  (xiii.  13—25. 

16.  Then  Paul  stood  up,  and  beckoning  Avith  his 
hand,  waving  it  us  a  signal  for  silence,  said,  Men 
of  Israel,  and  ye  that  fear  God,  give  audience. 

The  persons  whom  be  addresses  are  Israelites,  and  those  religious 
proselytes  who  joined  with  them  in  the  worship  of  Jehovah. 

17.  The  God  of  this  people  of  Israel  chose  our 
fathers,  i.  e.  separated  them  from  all  other  nations  to 
be  the  object  of  peculiar  religious  jnivileges,  and  ex- 
alted the  people  when  they  dwelt  as  strangers  in  the 
land  of  Egypt,  rendered  them  great  and  prosperous, 
and,  with  a  high  arm,  with  an  arm  exerted  in  many 
miraculous  acts  of  poiuer,  brought  he  them   out  of  it. 

18.  And  about  the  time  of  forty  years  suffered  he 
their  manners  in  the  wilderness,  or,  according  to  some 
of  the  best  manuscripts,  "  and  carried,''''  or,  ''''fed 
them,  as  a  nurse  her  child.''''* 

19.  And  when  he  had  destroyed  seven  nations  in 
the  land  of  Canaan,  he  divided  their  land  to  them  by 
lot,  or,  '■'■gave  it  to  them  as  an  inheritance. ^''\ 

20.  And  after  that,  he  gave  unto  them  judges, 
about  the  space  of  four  hundred  and  fifty  years,  until 
Samuel  the  prophet. 

21.  And  afterward  they  desired  a  king,  and  God 
gave  unto  them  Saul,  the  son  of  Cis,  a  man  of  the 
tribe  of  Benjamin,  by  the  space  of  forty  years. 

Interpreters  have  found  some  difficulty  in  reconciling  these 
dates  with  the  chronology  of  the  Old  Testament ;  but  some  degree 
of  inaccuracy  in  either  is  a  matter  of  little  consequence,  provided 
the  inspiration  of  the  historian  or  speaker  be  not  insisted  upon. 
Paul,  probably,  spoke  according  to  the  method  of  computation  in 
use  amongst  the  Jews  of  his  own  time. 

22.  And  when  he  had  removed  him,  he  raised  up 
unto  them  David  to  be  their  king,  to  whom  also  he 
gave  testimony,  and  said,  I  have  found  David,  the  son 
of  Jesse,  a  man  after  my  own  heart,  which  shall  fulfil 
all  my  will. 

This  does  not  refer  to  David's  private  character,  in  which  were 
several  things  highly  exceptionable  and  contrary  to  the  divine  will, 
but  merely  to  his  conduct  as  a  prince,  iu  which  character  he 
always  demeaned  himself  well,  manifesting  a  becoming  zeal  against 

•  Griesbach,.  2d  editioa.  t  Griesbacli,  2d  edition. 


xiil.  13—25.)  ACTS.  143 

idolatry,  and  constantly  observing  the  divine  injunctions  that  were 
given  him ;  for  disregarding  which,  the  entail  of  the  kingdom  was 
cut  off  from  the  house  of  Saul.  Few,  if  any,  of  his  successors  in 
the  kingdom  equalled  him  in  this  respect.  To  mark  his  approba- 
tion of  his  conduct,  God  entailed  the  crown  upon  his  posterity, 
and  ordained  that  the  Messiah  should  descend  from  him. 

23.  Of  this  man's  seed  hath  God  according  to  his 
promise,  raised  unto  Israel  a  Saviour,  Jesus : 

This  promise  was  delivered  by  the  prophet  Isaiah,  xi.  1,  "And 
there  shall  come  forth  a  rod  out  of  the  stem  of  Jesse,  and  a  branch 
shall  grow  out  of  his  roots."  It  is  observable  that  Paul  says 
nothing  about  the  miraculous  birth  of  Christ,  in  order  to  obviate  an 
objection  which  would  naturally  arise  in  the  mind  of  a  Jew, 
from  the  circumstance  of  Jesus  not  being  a  natural  descendant  of 
David  in  the  male  line :  it  is  probable,  therefore,  that  he  had 
never  heard  of  this  miracle,  and,  from  thai  and  other  circumstances, 
that  it  never  had  a  real  existence. 

24.  When  John  had  first  preached,  before  his 
coming,  the  baptism  of  repentance  to  all  the  people 
of  Israel. 

25.  And  as  John  was  fulfilling  his  course,  he  said. 
Whom  think  ye  that  I  am  .^  1  am  not  he  :  but,  behold, 
there  cometh  one  after  me,  whose  shoes  of  his  feet  I 
am  not  worthy  to  loose.* 


REFLECTIONS. 


We  have  here  an  example  of  a  laudable  custom  which  prevailed 
amongst  the  Jews,  and  which  deserves  to  be  imitated  amongst 
Christians,  that  of  reading  their  law  and  their  prophets,  every 
sabbath-day  in  their  public  assemblies. 

I  am  far  from  thinking,  indeed,  that  the  mere  reading  of  a  book, 
or  hearing  it  read,  is  all  that  is  necessary  to  understand  it ;  more 
especially,  one  of  such  ancient  date,  and  which  comprehends  such 
a  variety  of  style  and  matter.  On  the  contrary,  1  conceive  it  to 
be  very  possible  that  men  may  read  the  bible,  or  hear  it  read,  all 
their  days,  in  such  a  manner,  that  they  may  be  grossly  ignorant  of 
what  it  contains  ;  and  this,  I  am  persuaded,  is  the  condition  of  a 
great  number  of  Christians,  who  seem  to  think  their  reading  the 
bible  often  will  supply  the  place  of  studying  it.  Nevertheless  it 
must  be  acknowledged  that  the  slightest  impression  in  favour  of 
virtue  and  piety,  such  as  may  be  acquired  by  the  most  careless 
reader  or  hearer,  is  not  to  be  despised  ;  while  the  best  informed 
minds  require  to  have  their  good  impressions   renewed,  it  is  only 

•  See  the  commentary  on  Matt.  iii.  11. 


144  ACTS.  (xili.  2G— 41. 

by  liiivint!;  ;i  constant  intercourse  with  these  sacred  records  tliatthey 
can  keep  tlieir  faitli  alive  and  active,  and  render  tiic  invaluable 
principles  of  the  gospel  familiar  to  their  minds. 


26.  Brktiiren,  children  of  the  stock  of  Abraham, 
and  whosoever  among  you  feareth  (iod,  to  jou  is  the 
word,  'Uhe  doctrine,^^  of  this  salvation  sent. 

Paul,  continuing  his  discourse  to  the  Jews  in  the  synagogue  at 
Antioch,  tells  (hem,  that  although  they  lived  not  in  Judcea,  yet, 
being  descended  from  Abraham,  the  father  of  the  Jewish  race,  or 
joined  to  that  people  by  proselytism,  this  doctrine  is  addressed  to 
them,  and  is  interesting  to  them  both  ;  for  it  promises  deliverance 
to  all  who  embrace  it  ;  deliverance  from  the  evils  and  judgments 
to  which  they  are  liable  who  no  longer  enjoy  the  divine  favour. 

27.  For  they  that  dwell  at  Jerusalem,  and  their 
rulers,  because  they  knew  him  not,  nor  yet  the  voices 
of  the  prophets  which  are  read  every  sabbath-day, 
have  fuliilled  them  in  condemning  him. 

28.  And  though  they  found  no  cause  of  death  in 
him,  i.  e.  "  ?io  jmt  causc,^^  yet  desired  they  Pilate 
that  he  should  be  slain. 

Their  ignorance  furnished  tlie  Jewish  people  and  rulers  with  no 
excuse  for  their  conduct,  since  it  proceeded  from  evil  passions, 
which  blinded  the  understanding,  and  prevented  them  from  dis- 
cerning the  trutli. 

29.  And  when  they  had  fulfilled  all  that  was 
written  of  him,  they  took  him  down  from  the  tree, 
and  laid  him  in  a  sepulchre  : 

30.  But  God  raised  him  from  the  dead  ; 

31.  And  he  was  seen  many  days  of  them  which 
came  up  with  him  from  Galilee  to  Jerusalem,  who 
are  his  witnesses  unto  the  people. 

Nothing  could  be  better  and  more  unexceptionable  testimony 
than  that  which  is  here  mentioned,  the  evidence  of  men  who  had 
been  long  acquainted  with  him  in  Galilee,  where  hespesnt  the  greatest 
part  of  his  ministry,  and  who  saw  him  several  times  after  his 
resurrection. 

32.  And  we  declare  unto  you  glad  tidings,  how 
that  the  promis(i  which  was  made  unto  the  fathers, 

33.  God  hath  fulfilled  the  same  unto  us  their 
children,    in   that  he  hath  raised  up  Jesus  again,  as  it 


xiii.  26—41.)  ACTS.  145 

is  also  written  in  the  second  psalm,  Thou  art  my  Son, 
this  day  have  I  begotten  thee. 

This  second  psnim  the  apostle  uses  as  referring  wholly  to  the 
Messiah,  and  this  verse  in  ptrticuhir,  as  foretelling  his  resurrection 
from  the  dead.  The  same  passage  is  applied  in  the  same  manner 
by  the  author  of  the  epistle  to  the  llehrews,  i.  7,  "  For  to  which 
of  the  angels,  says  he,"  i.  e.  to  which  of  the  divine  messengers 
said  he,  "  at  any  time.  Thou  art  my  Son,  this  day  have  I  begotten 
thee."  Tin's  coincidence  of  sentiment  may  be  regarded  as  a  pre- 
sumption that  that  epistle  was  written  by  the  apostle  Paul.  Some 
interpreters  consider  the  words,  "  I  have  begotten  thee,"  as  refer- 
ring, not  to  a  resurrection  to  life,  but  to  being  raised  to  kingly 
power;  it  being  not  unusual  to  speak  of  the  days  of  accession  of 
kings  to  their  tlirones  as  their  birth-days.* 

34.  And  as  concerning  that  he  raised  him  up  from 
the  dead,  now  no  more  to  return  to  corruption,  he  said 
on  this  wise,  I  will  give  you  the  sure  mercies  of 
David. 

This  is  a  quotation  from  Isaiah  Iv.  3,  where  the  prophet  declares 
to  the  children  of  Israel,  in  the  name  of  God,  "I  will  make  with 
you  an  everlasting  covenant,  even  the  sure  mercies  of  David  ;"  in 
which  words  is  a  reference  to  a  covenant  made  with  David,  and 
often  renewed,  that  some  of  his  seed  should  sit  upon  his  throne 
for  ever.  The  sure  mercies  of  David,  then,  are  the  mercies 
promised  to  David,  which  are  sure;  and  the  apostle's  argument  to 
prove  that  Christ  rose  from  the  dead  is  this,  that  this  covenant 
must  have  been  broken,  if  he  had  remained  in  the  grave. 

35.  Wherefore  he  saith  also  in  another  psalm, 
Thou  shalt  not,  "  thou  ivilt  notf^''  suffer  thy  Holy  One 
to  see  corruption ; 

36.  For  David,  after  he  had  served  his  own  gen- 
eration by  the  will  of  God,  "  after  he  had  performed 
the  will  of  God  during  his  own  Itfe^''''  fell  asleep,  and 
was  laid  unto  his  fathers,  and  saw  corruption : 

37.  But  he,  whom  God  raised  again,  saw  no 
corruption. 

The  apostle  reasons  that  David  could  not  be  the  person  referred 
to  in  the  passage  quoted,  because  he  died  and  was  turned  into  dust ; 
and  that  there  was  no  one  in  whom  the  words  could  be  fulfilled, 
but  Jesus,  who  lay  only  three  days  in  the  grave,  and  who  could 
not,  therefore,  experience  corruption.  It  is  observable,  that  Paul, 
in  this  passage,  speaks  of  death  as  a  sleep  not  of  the  body,  as 
distinct  from  the  mind,  but  of  the  whole  man,  and  that  he  repre- 

*  Beza,  Pearce,  &c. 
VOL.    III.  T 


146  ACTS.  (xiii.  26— 41. 

sents  the  whole  person  as  experiencing  corruption  ;  liis  language, 
therefore,  strongly  favours  the  opinion  of  those  who  suppose  that 
all  consciousness  is  suspended  at  death. 

38.  Be  it  known  unto  jou,  therefore,  brethren, 
that  through  this  man  is  preached  unto  you  the 
forgiveness  of  sins : 

In  the  language  of  the  writers  of  the  New  Testament  and  par- 
ticularly of  Paul,  all  mankind,  wliatever  the  moral  character  of 
individuals  might  he,  were  at  this  time  sinners,  i.  e.  no  longer 
enjoyed  the  benefits  of  that  covenant  of  favour  and  privilege  by 
which  the  Jews  were  once  distinguished.  This  they  call  an  impure 
and  unholy  state,  or  a  state  of  sin  ;  and  it  is  the  great  object  of 
this  apostle,  in  his  epistle  to  the  Romans,  to  prove  that  the  Jews 
were  reduced  to  this  state,  but  that  by  embracing  the  gospel  which 
was  preached  to  them  in  the  name  of  Christ,  they  were  brought 
out  of  this  state,  or,  speaking  agreeably  to  the  same  language,  that 
their  sins  were  forgiven  them.  This  is  that  forgiveness  of  sins  to 
which  he  here  refers. 

39.  And  by  him  all  that  believe  are  justified, 
"  cleared,^^  from  all  things  from  which  ye  could  not  be 
cleared  by  the  law  of  Moses. 

The  law  of  IMoses  having  been  violated  in  its  essential  points  by 
the  Jewish  nation,  no  longer  secured  to  them  the  divine  favour,  but 
left  them  exposed  to  all  the  evils  to  which  they  are  liable  who  are  cast 
out  of  God's  covenant:  but  by  faith  in  Christ,  to  wiiich  he  exhorts 
them,  they  would  be  received  to  the  state  of  privilege  which  they 
had  lost  by  their  sins,  and  saved  from  the  calamities  which  were 
hanging  over  the  heads  of  the  unbelieving  Jews. 

40.  Beware,  therefore,  lest  that  come  upon  you 
which  is  spoken  of  in  the  prophets  : 

Beware,  lest  you  merit  the  reproachful  language  of  one  of  the 
prophets  to  your  fathers,  which,  though  used  on  a  ditTereut 
occasion,  may  be  addressed  to  you  in  this  case. 

41.  Behold,  ye  despisers,  and  wonder  and  perish, 
"  hide  yourselves j^'^  i.  e.  from  shame  and  confusion  ; 
for  I  work  a  work  in  your  days,  a  w-ork  which  ye 
shall  in  no  wise  believe,  though  a  man  declare  it  unto 
you. 

To  refuse  to  believe  a  plain  fact,  supported  by  the  clearest 
evidence,  is  an  act  of  great  folly,  of  which  every  reasonable  man 
ought  to  be  ashamed.  Of  this  folly  would  they  be  guilty,  who 
rejected  the  divine  mission  of  Christ ;  of  such  unwise  conduct, 
therefore,  he  warns  them  to  beware. 


xiii.  42—52.)  ACTS.  14T 


REFLECTIONS. 

From  the  apostle's  address  to  these  Jews  at  Antioch,  we  see 
what  abundant  evidence  there  is  of  the  divine  mission  and  pro- 
phetical character  of  Jesus.  Such  a  character  corresponds  with 
the  peculiar  circumstances  of  the  Jewish  people,  who  had  been 
selected  by  God  from  the  rest  of  mankind,  to  enjoy  peculiar 
religious  privileges.  If  a  great  prophet,  therefore,  is  to  be  sent 
into  the  world,  among  whom  can  he  so  properly  appear  as  among 
the  Jews  ;  the  only  people,  who,  for  many  ages,  had  beenfavoured 
with  miraculous  communications  1  Such  an  event  corresponds, 
also,  with  other  remarkable  facts  in  their  history,  from  which  it 
appears,  that  God  often  interposed  in  an  extraordinary  manner  for 
their  benefit,  by  delivering  them  from  Egypt,  by  nourishing  them 
in  the  wilderness,  by  settling  theni  in  Canaan,  and  giving  them 
judges  and  kings.  One  additional  favour,  after  so  many  already 
bestowed,  appears  by  no  means  improbable.  The  appearance  of 
such  a  person  had  been  foretold  by  other  prophets,  both  of  earlier 
and  later  date  ;  by  John  the  Baptist,  who  announced  his  immedi- 
ate approach,  and  by  Isaiah,  who  mentioned  the  family  of  which 
he  should  be  born,  even  the  seed  of  David. 

The  extraordinary  personage  thus  announced,  although  opposed 
by  the  great  body  of  the  Jewish  rulers  and  people,  and  cruelly  put 
to  death,  could  not  be  convicted  of  any  crime;  nay,  his  pretensions 
are  completely  justified  by  God's  raising  him  from  the  dead.  Of 
this  event,  those  were  the  witnesses  who  are  best  qualified  to 
furnish  satisfactory  testimony,  his  intimate  friends  and  companions. 
These  were  sufficient  to  establish  the  truth  of  the  fact,  indepen- 
dently of  an}-  other  evidence  ;  but  their  testimony  is  also  corrobo- 
rated by  several  predictions  which  foretold  such  an  event. 

To  these  united  arguments,  who  can  refuse  to  yield  assent,  that 
is  not  deaf  to  the  voice  of  reason,  and  the  language  of  truth "?  To  every 
candid  and  unprejudiced  mind,  which  will  judge  of  the  truth  of 
Christianity  as  of  any  other  historical  fact,  they  must,  I  conceive, 
carry  irresistible  conviction. 


42.  And  as  they,  i.  e.  the  apostles,  went  out  of  the 
synagogue,  they  besought  that  these  words  might  be 
preached  to  them  the  next  sabbath. 

The  words,  "  the  Jews  and  the  Gentiles,"  which  occur  in  this 
verse  in  our  version,  are  omitted  in  some  of  the  best  manuscripts 
and  versions,  and  probably  with  good  reason;  for  they  seem 
rather  to  embarrass  than  to  aid  the  sense.* 

43.  Now  when  the  congregation  was  broken  up, 
many  of  the   Jews  and  religious  proselytes  followed 

*  See  Griesbach,  who  omits  them. 


I4S  ACTS.  (xiii.  42—52. 

Paul  and  Barnabas,  who,  speaking  to  them,  persuaded 
them  to  continue  in  the  grace  of  God,  i.  e.  exhorted 
them  to  continue  in  the 'profession  of  the  gospel. 

44.  And  the  next  sabbath-day  came  almost  the 
whole  cit}'  together,  to  hear  the  word  of  God. 

45.  But  when  the  Jews  saw  the  multitudes,  they 
were  filled  with  envy,  and  spake  against  those  things 
which  were  spoken  by  Paul,  contradicting  and  blas- 
pheming. 

They  conlradictofl  Paul  in  asserting  the  divine  mission  of  his 
IMaster,  and  spoke  of  liiin  in  injurious  and  reproachful  language, 
which  is  the  projjer  signification  of  blasphejning ;  calling  him  a 
deceiver  and  impostor. 

To  this  conduct,  the  Jews  were  instigated  by  envy.  What 
awakened  their  jealousy,  was  to  liear  the  same  terms  ofiered  by  the 
apostle  to  the  Gentiles,  as  to  themselves,  and  to  see  them  treated 
with  the  same  lespect.  To  those  who  had  been  taught  to  regard 
themselves  as  the  peculiar  people  of  God,  and  to  look  upon  the 
Gentiles  with  contempt,  this  could  not  fail  to  be  highly  grating. 
A  system  which  thus  counteracted  their  favourite  prejudices  could 
not  be  of  divine  origin,  and  was,  therefore,  rejected  by  them. 

46.  Then  Paul  and  Barnabas  waxed  bold,  and 
said,  ^^  using  great  freedom  of  speech,  said,''^  It  W'as 
necessary  that  the  word  of  God  should  first  have  been 
spoken  to  you  ;  but  seeing  ye  put  it  from  you,  and 
judge  yourselves  unworthy  of  everlasting  life,  lo,  we 
turn  to  the  Gentiles. 

When  the  apostles  were  commissioned  to  preach  the  gospel  to 
the  world,  thoy  were  directed  to  begin  at  Jerusalem,  i.  e.  to  offer 
it  first  to  the  Jews;  for  the  language  of  Christ  to  them  was,  that 
repentance  and  remission  of  sins  were  to  be  preached  in  his  name 
amongst  all  nations,  beginning  at  Jerusalem,  Luke  xxiv.  47.  This 
preference  given  to  the  Jews,  tliey  considered  as  a  direction  for  their 
conduct  in  otlier  instances  ;  and  accordingly,  wherever  they  came 
addressed  themselves  first  to  that  people,  and  only  to  the  Gentiles 
when  they  found  their  first  overtures  rejected.  When  Paul  and 
Barnabas  declare  in  this  passage,  that  they  would  turn  from  one  to 
the  other,  they  do  not  mean  that  they  would  never  oflcr  the  gospel 
to  the  Jews  again  ;  but  only  that,  in  the  present  instance,  they 
would  endeavour  to  make  no  more  proselytes  among  the  Jews  at 
Antioch,  seeing  they  iiad  shown  themselves  unteachable  and 
obslinute,  but  preach,  thenceforwards,  to  the  Gentiles  of  that 
place,  who  had  shown  a  better  disposition  to  receive  their  message. 

47.  For  so  hath  the  Lord  commanded  us,  saying, 
I  have  set  thee  to   be    a  light   of  the    Gentiles,    that 


xlii.  42—52.)  ACTS.  149 

thou  shouldest  be  for  salvation  unto  the  ends  of  the 
earth. 

These  words  are  taken  from  a  prophecy  of  Isaiah,  xlix.  6,  in 
v,'hich  the  prophet  complains,  in  the  name  of  Christ,  of  want  of 
success.  "  I  have  laboured  in  vain,  I  have  spent  my  strength  for 
noiiglit :"  to  which  God  replies,  that  if  the  issise  of  his  labours 
should  he  the  most  unfavourable  that  could  be  supposed  ;  if  Israel 
should  not  be  gathered,  yet  he  should  not  fail  of  his  reward  ;  but  so 
far  would  his  labours  be  from  being  fruitless  in  regard  to  others, 
that  he  should  be  successful  in  raising  up  the  tribes  of  Jacob,  and 
instrumental,  likewise,  in  enlightening  and  saving  the  Gentiles. 
From  this  passage,  Paul  and  Barnabas  might  justly  infer,  that  the 
Christian  religion  was  intended  for  the  benefit  of  the  heathens,  as 
well  as  of  the  Jews  ;  3'et  it  must  be  acknowledged,  that  it  contains 
no  direct  command  to  preach  the  gospel  to  them.  Such  a  command, 
however,  Paul  had  received  at  his  conversion,  as  the  other  apostles 
also  had,  when  they  received  their  commissions  from  their  Master. 

48.  And  when  the  Gentiles  heard  this,  they  were 
glad,  and  glorified  the  word  of  the  Lord  ; 

They  extolled  the  gospel  of  God,  which  extended  its  benign 
influences  to  them,  as  well  as  to  the  Jews,  and  which  could  not  fail, 
on  this  account,  to  recommend  itself  to  their  esteem. 

And  as  many  as  were  ordained,  ^^ prepared^''''  for 
eternal  life,  believed. 

Many  interpreters*  have  shown  that  the  words,  "  ordained  to 
eternal  life,"  which  appear  in  our  common  version  in  this  place, 
and  which  seem  to  imply  some  decree  of  Heaven,  necessarily 
forming  them  for  eternal  life,  are  not  justified  by  the  original. 
The  proper  meaning  of  the  word  is  disposed;  and  the  sacred  writer 
seems  to  have  intended  nothing  more  by  the  expression,  than  to 
contrast  the  temper  and  disposition  of  the  Gentiles  with  those  of 
the  Jews.  The  latter  were  adverse  to  the  offer  of  eternal  life, 
and,  from  motives  of  pride  and  envy,  rejected  it  with  scorn;  but 
many  of  the  Gentiles  were  well  disposed  to  the  doctrine,  and 
therefore  believed. 

49.  And  the  word  of  the  Lord  was  published 
throughout  all  the  region,  i.  e.  through  the  neighbour- 
hood of  Aniioch  and  Pisidia. 

50.  But  the  Jews  stirred  up  the  devout  and 
honourable  women,  and  the  chief  men  of  the  city, 
and  raised  persecution  against  Paul  and  Barnabas,  and 
expelled  them  out  of  their  coast. 

By  devout  and  honourable  women  in  this  passage,  we  are  not  to 
understand  persons  of  distinguished  piety  and  worth  ;  for  persons 

*  Penrce,  Benson,  &c. 


150  ACTS.  (xiv.  1—7. 

of  this  character  would  not  have  behaved  thus  ;  but  merely  female 
proselytes  to  the  Jewisli  religion,  or  worshippers  of  the  true  God, 
and  persons  of  rank.  These  the  Jews  easily  instigated  to  employ 
their  influence  with  their  iiusbands,  Avho  were  still  Gentiles,  to 
persecute  the  apostles,  by  representing  them  as  seditious  and  dan- 
gerous men.  15y  this  influence,  and  the  assistance  of  the  magis- 
trates, they  were  enabled  to  drive  them  from  the  country.  This  ill 
usage,  however,  did  not  provoke  Paul  and  Barnabas  to  call  for 
fire  from  heaven,  or  to  utter  any  anathemas  against  them.  They 
satisfied  themselves  with  declaring,  in  the  mild  manner  recom- 
mended by  their  Master,  tliat  they  abandoned  them  to  their  fate. 

51.  But  they  shook  off  tlie  dust  of  their  feet 
against  them,  and  came  to  Iconium. 

This  was  as  much  as  to  say,  AV^e  desire  no  farther  intercourse 
with  you  :  keep  to  yourselves  what  belongs  to  you ;  we  wish  not 
to  share  in  the  smallest  particle. 

52.  And  the  disciples  were  filled  with  joy  and  with 
the  Holy  Spirit. 

The  joy  which  they  felt  was  the  consequence  of  possessing 
miraculous  gifts,  and  of  being  assured  that  they  were  chosen  into  the 
family  of  God. 


The  advice  which  these  apostles  gave  to  their  new  converts  is 
equally  proper  for  Christians  of  the  present  day — to  continue  in 
the  grace  of  God  ;  to  j)crsevere  in  the  profession  of  the  gospel,  in 
the  midst  of  all  temptations  to  desert  it,  notwithstanding  the 
example  of  the  great,  tlie  arguments  of  those  who  are  deemed 
wise,  and  the  wit  and  ridicule  of  the  profane.  To  be  ashamed  of 
the  gosj)el  irom  these  motives,  while  we  are  assured  of  its  divine 
origin  and  happy  tendency,  would  be  to  be  ashamed  of  our  highest 
honour  and  noblest  privilege  ;  to  accept  of  any  other  system  in  its 
place,  would  be  to  exchange  light  for  darkness,  the  wisdom  of  God 
for  the  wisdom  of  man. 


SECTION  XXI. 

Paul  and  Barnabas  hcing  persecuted  in  Iconium,  Jlee  to  Lystra 
_  and  Derhe. 

Acts.  xiv.  1 — 7. 

1.  And  it  came  to  pass  in  Iconium,  that  they 
went  both  together  into  the  synagogue  of  the  Jews, 
and  so  spake,  that  a  great  multitude,  both  of  the  Jews, 
and  also  of  the  Gieeks,  believed. 


xiv.  1—7.)  ACTS.  151 

2.  But  tlie  unbelieving  Jews  stirred  up  the  Gen- 
tiles, and  made  their  minds  evil  affected  against  the 
brethren. 

Iconium  was  a  town  of  Lycaonia,  in  which,  as  well  as  in  the 
other  principal  towns  of  Asia,  was  a  considerable  number  of  Jews. 
In  this  place  they  possessed  no  political  power,  but  they  had 
influence  enough  to  sow  suspicion  and  jealousy  in  the  minds  of  the 
Gentiles  against  the  preachers  of  the  gospel. 

3.  Long  time,  however,  abode  they,  speaking 
boldly  in  the  Lord,  ^^  about  the  Lord,''''  who  gave 
testimony  unto  the  word  of  his  grace,  granting  signs 
and  wonders  to  be  done  by  their  hands. 

The  Lord  here  spoken  of,  is  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord ;  and  the 
word  of  his  grace  is  that  gracious  doctrine  of  God  which  was 
entrusted  to  him,  to  be  dispensed  to  the  world,  and  by  him  to  the 
apostles.  To  the  divine  origin  of  this  doctrine  he  gave  testimony 
by  the  miracles  which  he  enabled  them  to  work  in  his  name. 
From  this  passage  it  appears,  as  well  as  from  others  in  the  book  of 
Acts,  that  miraculous  powers,  although  undoubtedly  the  gift  of 
God  originally,  were  considered  as  coming  immediately  from 
Christ. 

4.  But  the  multitude  of  the  city  was  divided,  and 
part  held  with  the  Jews,  and  part  with   the   apostles. 

5.  And  when  there  was  an  assault  made,  rather 
^^an  attempt  made,''''  both  of  the  Gentiles,  and  also  of 
the  Jews  with  their  rulers,  to  use  them  despitefully, 
^Ho  abuse  them,^^  and  to  stone  them, 

6.  They  were  aware  of  it,  and  fled  unto  Lystra 
and  Derbe,  cities  of  Lycaonia,  and  unto  the  region 
that  lyeth  round  about : 

7.  And  there  they  preached  the  gospel. 


REFLECTIONS. 


1.  The  conduct  of  the  Jews  in  rejecting  the  gospel,  in  perse- 
cuting those  who  preached  it,  or  stirring  up  others  to  persecution, 
affords  a  melancholy  example  of  the  force  of  prejudice  in  blinding 
the  eyes  and  hardening  the  heart :  so  contrary  to  their  taste  was 
the  idea  of  a  suffering  Messiah  and  a  spiritual  kingdom,  that  the 
force  of  miracles  and  the  voice  of  the  prophets  could  not  overcome 
their  objections.  How  base  and  odious  the  spirit  by  which  they 
are  animated !     What  evil  could  it  be  to  the  Jews  that  Gentiles 


162  ACTS.  (xiv.  1—7. 

wore  honoured  with  equal  privileges,  and  placed  on  a  level  with 
themselves?  Must  tlieir  happiness  be  necessarily  diminished,  if 
others  possess  an  ecpial  portion  of  good  ?  Ought  tliey  not  rather  to 
rejoice  that  the  divine  bounty,  which  was  once  confined  to  a  single 
people,  is  now  become  so  mucli  more  extensive,  that  provision  is 
made  for  promoting  the  virtue  and  piety  of  thousands,  who  seemed 
to  be  before  neglected,  and  who  will,  by  these  means,  be  saved 
from  destruction?  But  they  are  actuated  by  the  spirit  of  envy,  and 
that  evil  passion  converts  all  these  causes  for  joy  into  so  many 
sources  of  pain.  See  by  what  wicked  passions  men  may  be 
governed,  and  to  what  wicked  actions  they  may  be  instigated, 
under  the  idea  of  a  zeal  for  religion — even  to  hate,  to  assault,  and 
stone  innocent  and  virtuous  characters.  Let  Christians  take  care 
how  they  foster  tlie  delusive  idea  thai  they  are  the  peculiar  favour- 
ites of  Heaven  ;  that  its  regards  are  limited  to  tliem,  and  that 
those  who  think  differently  from  them,  are  necessarily  its  enemies, 
the  objects  of  its  aversion  and  hatred.  It  is  an  idea  which  inevi- 
tably leads  to  pride  and  envy,  to  hatred  and  cruelty.  Let  all  men 
beware  how  they  shut  their  eyes  against  the  light,  and  refuse  to 
listen  to  what  may  be  advanced  against  that  which  they  deem 
established  truth  ;  for  under  the  idea  of  preserving  the  truth,  they 
may  be  cherishing  the  most  fatal  errors. 

2.  While  we  admire  the  perseverance  and  fortitude  of  these 
first  preachers,  in  publishing  the  gospel  in  the  midst  of  much 
opposition  and  danger,  let  us  also  take  encouragement  from  their 
success.  Wherever  they  went,  they  gained  proselytes,  notwith- 
standing the  opposition  which  they  encountered,  and  those 
proselytes  procured  more,  until,  in  the  course  of  time,  the  whole 
country  was  converted  to  Christianity.  Thus,  agreeably  to  the 
prediction  of  their  Master,  the  grain  of  mustard-seed  became  a 
great  tree,  and  a  little  leaven  leavened  the  whole  mass.  Let  not 
the  friends  of  truth,  then,  who  are  engaged  in  like  arduous  strug- 
gles, be  discouraged  in  their  exertions.  If  they  find  many,  or 
even  the  majority,  blind,  obstinate,  and  violent,  yet,  in  every 
place,  there  are  a  few  of  a  different  description,  whose  minds  are 
open  to  conviction,  who  will  receive  the  truth  with  joy,  as  soon  as 
it  is  proposed,  and  who  will  communicate  the  valuable  prize  to 
others.  Let  them  renew  their  labours,  therefore,  in  every  place, 
and  persevere  in  their  endeavours  to  gain  an  audience  of  the 
candid  and  well-disposed,  not  doubting  the  force  of  truth  or  the 
favour  of  Providence,  while  they  are  engaged  in  so  benevolent  a 
work. 


xiv.  8—28.)  ACTS.  153 


SECTION  XXII. 

Cure  of  tJic  cripple  at  Lystra.  Paul  is  stoned  hy  the  people.  He 
returns  with  Barnabas  to  Antioch,  after  visiting  several  cities 
of  Asia. 

Acts  xiv.  8 — 23. 

8.  And  there  sat  a  certain  man  at  Lystra,  impo- 
tent in  his  feet,  U7iable  to  use  them,  being  a  cripple 
from  his  mother's  womb,  who  never  had  walked. 

9.  The  same  heard  Paul  speak,  "  luas  hearing 
Paul  speak,''''  who,  steadfastly  beholding  him,  and 
perceiving  that  he  had  faith  to  he  healed, 

10.  Said,  with  a  loud  voice,  Stand  upright  on  thy 

feet ;  and  he  leaped  and  walked. 

"  Perceiving  that  he  had  faith  to  be  healed."  These  words 
plainly  imply  that  if  he  had  not  had  faith,  the  favour  of  being 
healed  might  not  have  been  granted  to  him,  which  corresponds 
very  well  with  the  language  of  Christ,  who  often  said  to  the  person 
upon  whom  he  wrought  a  miraculous  cure,  Thy  faith  hath  saved 
thee.  Agreeably  to  this  idea,  we  are  likewise  told,  that  in  some 
places  Christ  did  not  many  mighty  works,  because  the  people 
believed  not.  Miraculous  cures  might  sometimes  be  performed 
for  all  alike ;  but  in  general  they  were  confined  to  those  who 
believed  in  the  divine  mission  of  Christ  and  his  apostles ;  God  not 
choosing  to  honour  unbelievers  with  a  display  of  his  power.  The 
miracle  on  this  cripple  seems  to  have  been  performed  while  Paul 
was  speaking  to  the  multitude,  and  would  be  the  more  striking  for 
its  being  sudden  and  unexpected. 

11.  And  when  the  people  saw  what  Paul  had 
done,  they  lifted  up  their  voices,  saying,  in  the  speech 
of  Lycaonia,  The  gods  are  come  down  to  us  in  the 
likeness  of  men. 

12.  And  they  called  Barnabas,  Jupiter  ;  and  Paul, 

Mercurius,    "  Mercurij,'"    because    he  was   the   chief 

speaker. 

The  miracle  which  had  been  just  wrought,  evidently  exceeded 
the  power  of  man  to  produce,  and  must  have  some  supernatural 
oricrin.  The  Lycaonians,  therefore,  could  think  of  no  better 
method  of  accounting  for  it  than  by  supposing,  what  was  indeed 
no  uncommon  thing  according  to   their  mythology,  that   two  of 

VOL.  III.  u 


154  ACTS.  (xiv.  S— 28. 

their  gods  had  assumed  a  human  shape,  and  were  come  down 
amongst  them.  As  Paul  was  the  chief  speaker,  and  Mercury  was 
the  messenger  ol'  the  gods  and  the  patron  of  eloquence,  they 
supposed  that  the  apostle  was  this  deity,  and  that  Barnabas,  who 
said  but  little,  represented  Jupiter,  the  chief  of  the  heathen  gods, 
whose  companion  and  interpreter,  Mercury  frequently  was. 

13.  Then  the  priest  of  Jupiter,  which  was  before 

their   city,  or,    "  the  guardian  god   of  their   city,^^* 

brought  oxen   and  garlands  unto  the  gates,  and  would 

have  done  sacrifice  with  the  people  : 

That  this  was  the  usual  method  of  paying  honour  to  their  gods, 
is  well  known  to  those  who  are  at  all  acquainted  with  the  history 
of  the  heathen  world.  Nothing,  therefote,  could  afford  a  stronger 
proof  of  the  faith  of  this  people  in  the  divinity  of  Paul  and  Barna- 
bas, than  their  readiness  to  offer  them  the  same  homage  as 
they  paid  to  those  whom  they  esteemed  gods.  The  gates  here 
mentioned,  were  not  the  gates  of  the  city,  but  of  the  building 
where  these  preachers  resided ;  at  this  place,  it  seems,  the  people 
assembled  to  offer  sacrifice. 

14.  Which,  when  the  apostles,  Barnabas  and  Paul, 
heard  of,  they  rent  their  clothes,  and  ran  outf  among 
the  people,  crying  out, 

15.  And  saying,  Sirs,  why  do  ye  these  things  ? 
We  also  are  men  of  like  passions  with  you,  "  We  are 
men  alike  mortal  with  yourselves,^^X  and  preach  unto 
you,  that  ye  should  turn  from  these  vanities  unto  the 
living  God,  who  made  heaven,  and  earth,  and  the  sea, 
and  all  things  that  are  therein  : 

16.  Who,  in  times  past,  suffered  all  nations  to 
walk  in  their  own  ways,  i.  e.  sent  no  prophet  amongst 
them,  as  he  had  done  among  the  Jews. 

17.  Nevertheless,  he  left  not  himself  without 
witness,  in  that  he  did  good  from  heaven,  and  gave 
you^  rain  and  fruitful  seasons,  filling  your  hearts  with 
food  and  gladness,  "  with  food  and  good  cheer.^^ 

18.  And  with  these  words  scarce  restrained  they 
the  people  that  they  had  not  done  sacrifice  unto  them. 

"  We  are  men  alike  mortal  with  yourselves."  This  undoubted- 
ly is  the  apostle's  meaning,  as  is  evident  from  the  conne.xion,  and 
not,  as  we  render  the  phrase,  "  of  like  passions  ;"  for  he  could 
never  intend  to  assert  that  himself  and  Barnabas  were  governed  by 

*  Wakefield's  Translation  and  Silva  Cril.  Pt.  I.  p.  C8. 
i  Grieibacli.  |  Pearce.  ^  Grlesbach. 


xiv.  8—28.)  ACTS.  155 

the  same  vicious  passions  with  idolatrous  Gentiles.  The  same 
thing  is  likewise  evident  from  the  original,  which  may  be  literally 
rendered,  "of  like  sufferings,"  referring.,  principally,  to  the  suffer- 
ings of  death.  To  those  the  apostle  and  his  companion  were  alike 
subject  with  other  men,  and  therefore,,  had  no  pretensions  to  that 
immortality  which  was  the  distinguishing  characteristic  of  divinity. 

The  heathen  gods  are  called  vanities  in  the  Old  Testament, 
(1  Kings  xvi.  13,)  and  thence  by  the  apostles,  because  they  were 
the  vain  inventions  of  men  :  they  were  gods  which  had  no  real 
existence. 

In  this  passage,  the  apostle  has  given  us  an  excellent  specimen 
of  the  arguments  from  the  light  of  nature,  for  the  existence  of  a 
Deity.  He  has  likewise  shown,  what  indeed  we  might  have 
known  without  being  expressly  informed  of  it,  that  it  was  one 
great  object  of  his  preaching,  to  turn  men  from  idolatry  to  the 
worship  of  one  God. 

19.  And  there  came  thither  certain  Jews  from 
Antioch  and  Iconium,  who  persuaded,  ^^ gained  over^^^ 
the  peojDle,  and,  having  stoned  Paul,  drew  him  out  of 
the  citj,  supposing  he  had  been  dead. 

20.  But  as  the  disciples  stood  round  about  him, 
he  rose  up,  and  came  into  the  city  ;  and  the  next  day 
he  departed  with  Barnabas  to  Derbe. 

The  words  of  the  historian,  who  says  that  they  supposed  him  to 
be  dead,  seem  to  imply  that  he  was  not  really  so  ;  and  yet,  as  he 
had  been  stoned,  and  dragged  through  the  streets  out  of  the  town, 
it  is  highly  probable  that  he  must  be  dead,  the  more  especially  as 
it  is  not  likely  that  his  enemies  would  leave  him  before  they  had 
satisfactory  evidence  that  they  had  accomplished  their  purpose. 
While  in  this  state,  and  surrounded  by  the  disciples,  who  were 
viewing  his  corpse  with  deep  concern,  he  rose  to  life  again  by  the 
power  of  Christ.  That  there  was  some  miracle  in  the  case,  is 
evident  from  his  being  able  to  walk  immediately  into  the  city,  and 
to  leave  it  the  next  day,  when,  according  to  the  usual  course  of 
things,  he  must  have  been  more  disqualified  for  moving  than  at 
first.  Alluding  to  this  fact,  he  says,  in  the  second  epistle  to  the 
Corinthians,  xi.  25,  "  Once  was  I  stoned." 

21.  And  when  they  had  preached  the  gospel  to 
that  city,  and  had  taught  many,  "  made  a  great  many 
disciples,'''''*'  they  returned  again  to  Lystra,  and  to 
Iconium,  and  to  Antioch, 

22.  Confirming  the  minds  of  the  disciples,  and 
exhorting  them  to  continue  in  the  faith,  and  that, 
'■'■  seeing  that,''''  we  must,  through  much  tribulation, 
enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God. 

*  Wakefield  aud  Worslev. 


156  ACTS.  (xiv.  S— 28. 

They  showed  them  that  persecution  was  no  more  than  what 
might  be  expected  from  the  purity  of  tlie  Christian  institution,  and 
the  predictions  of  its  author.  They  cxliorted  thorn,  therefore,  to 
continue  in  the  profession  of  Christianity,  notwithstanding  these 
evils. 

23.  And  when  they  had  ordained  them  elders  in 
every  church,  and  had  prayed  with  fasting,  they  com- 
mended them  to  the  Lord,  in  whom  they  believed. 

These  elders  seem  to  have  been  chosen  by  the  apostles,  from 
among  the  most  eminent  of  the  first  converts  to  Christianity  in 
every  society,  in  order  to  preside  over  it,  and  deliver  instruction 
during  their  absence.  This  was  a  necessary  and  wise  regulation 
in  the  first  ages  of  the  gospel,  however  it  might  be  afterwards 
abused.  This  verse  has  occasioned  violent  debates  among  the 
advocates  for  the  different  forms  of  church-government ;  some 
maintaining  that  the  election  was  made  solely  by  the  apostles,  and 
intended  as  a  model  of  the  election  of  ministers  by  ministers  in  all 
succeeding  generations ;  while  others  maintain  from  the  nature  of 
the  term  made  use  of  in  the  Greek,  that  they  must  have  been 
chosen  by  the  people  :  but  although  it  should  be  allowed  that  the 
apostles  chose  these  elders  or  ministers,  it  will  not  follow  that  those 
who  are  destitute  of  the  same  divine  authority  ought  to  be  invested 
with  the  same  privilege. 

These  elders  are  said  to  have  been  commended  to  the  Lord  in 
whom  they  believed,  that  is,  as  some  suppose,  to  God,  who  was 
able  to  protect  them  from  all  danger,  but,  as  others  imagine,  with 
more  reason,  I  conceive,  to  Christ,  who  is  often  called  the  Lord  ; 
and  the  design  of  Paul  and  Barnabas  seems  to  have  been  to  ask 
for  these  elders  those  extraordinary  powers  which  were  necessary 
for  their  preservation  in  a  season  of  persecution,  or  for  their 
success  in  preaching  the  gospel.  This  language  corresponds  with 
other  passages  in  this  book,  which  represent  Christ  as  the  source 
whence  miraculous  powers  proceeded,  after  he  had  ascended  up, 
as  well  as  while  he  continued  in  the  world,  and  rendered  it  proper 
for  the  apostles  and  other  teachers,  who  derived  the  power  of 
working  miracles  from  Christ,  to  address  him  on  the  subject,  but 
lays  no  found:<tion  for  addressing  similar  petitions  to  him  at  the 
present  day,  when  those  powers  have  long  ceased.  It  was  to  this 
power  tliat  Christ  seems  to  have  referred,  when  he  said  to  his 
disciples,  as  he  was  about  to  leave  them,  Lo,  I  am  with  you  always 
to  the  end  of  the  age. 

24.  And  after  they  had  passed  throughout  Pisidia, 
they  came  to  Pamphylia. 

25.  And  when  they  had  preached  the  word  in 
Perga,  they  went  down  into  Attalia  ; 

26.  And  thence  sailed  to  Antioch,  from  whence 
they  had  hc.cn  recommended  to  the  favour  of  God 
for  the  work  which  they  fulfilled. 


xiv.  8-28.)  ACTS.  157 

27.  And  when  they  were  come,  and  had  gathered 
the  church  together,  they  rehearsed  all  that  God  had 
done  with  them,  and  how  he  had  opened  the  door  of 
faith  unto  the  Gentiles. 

28.  And  there  they  abode  long  time  with  the 
disciples. 


REFLECTIONS. 


1.  Let  us  often  and  seriously  weigh  the  description  here 
given  of  the  Deity,  as  the  living  God  who  made  heaven  and  earth, 
and  the  sea  and  all  things  therein,  and  as  the  source  of  all  our 
pleasures  and  comforts.  Let  us  remember  that  in  this  character 
he  is  entitled  to  the  highest  reverence,  and  to  our  supreme  and 
constant  affection.  When  experiencing  the  goodness  of  Provi- 
dence in  fruitful  seasons,  in  particular,  or  tasting  his  bounty  in  the 
plenty  with  which  our  board  is  covered,  let  us  trace  all  these 
blessings  to  his  hand,  and  acknowledge  them  as  his  gifts.  This 
will  make  every  repast  an  act  of  devotion  to  God,  and  give  double 
relish  to  all  our  pleasures.  To  have  prophets  and  instructers,  is 
hif^hly  desirable,  in  order  to  lead  us  to  a  more  perfect  acquaint- 
an°ce  with  God  and  our  duty,  by  explaining  his  nature,  and  pointing 
out  the  proofs  of  his  existence  and  government ;  but  these  are  not 
absolutely  necessary.  Lectures  of  theology  and  devotion  are  daily 
read  to  us  by  every  event  of  our  lives,  by  every  object  which  we 
behold.  If  we  attend  not  to  these  instructions,  we  are  left 
inexcusable. 

2.  From  the  horror  which  these  two  apostles  manifest  at 
idolatry,  let  us  learn  to  be  careful  that  we  do  not  fall  into  this 
gross  error.  It  was  no  light  mistake  in  their  apprehension:  it 
destroyed  the  very  foundation  of  all  genuine  piety  and  devotion, 
by  depriving  the  Deity  of  his  essential  and  incommunicable  per- 
fections. They  rend  their  clothes  with  grief,  and  manifest  the 
greatest  eagerness  to  dissuade  the  Lycaonians  from  so  weak  and 
impious  an  act ;  yet  the  Lycaonians  are  not  the  only  persons  who 
call  for  such  expressions  of  sorrow.  It  is  a  lamentable  truth  that 
by  far  the  greater  part  of  the  Christian  world  is,  at  the  present 
day,  guilty  of  the  very  idolatry  which  they  are  so  ready  to  condemn 
in  this  people :  for  they  ascribe  divine  attributes  and  pay  divine 
honours  to  a  man  subject  to  the  same  frailty  and  mortality  as  them- 
selves, and  one  who  actually  died,  but  whom  they  call  God  in  the 
likeness  of  man,  or  God  and  man  united  together.  With  what- 
ever specious  pretences  such  practices  may  be  covered,  they  are 
nothing  short  of  gross  idolatry,  and  would  have  been  viewed  with 
as  much  horror  by  the  apostles  as  the  conduct  of  the  Lycaonians. 
3.  In  this  history  we  see  a  striking  example  of  what  little 
value  is  the  favour  of  the  multitude.     Him,  whom  this  deluded 


158  ACTS.  (xv.  1—12. 

people  had  once  been  ready  to  worship  as  a  god,  they  afterwards 
treat  as  worse  tlian  man  ;  they  stone  him  with  their  own  hands, 
and  drag  him  through  the  streets;  not  allowing  him  the  respect 
which  was  paid  to  tiie  vilest  malefactors,  that  of  interment.  Let 
us  learn  hence  not  to  make  popular  favour  the  object  of  our  pursuit, 
much  less  sacrifice  to  it  any  principle  of  truth  and  duty.  It  is  as 
changeable  as  the  wind :  it  may  be  enjoyed  to-day  and  lost  to- 
morrow. It  is  only  to  be  acquired,  frequently,  by  flattering  the 
prejudices  and  countenancing  the  vices  of  mankind,  and  is  often 
forfeited  by  the  noblest  acts  of  integrity  and  benevolence. 


SECTION  XXIII. 

Disputes   respcciiiig   the    observance   of  the   Mosaic   laic.       The 
apostles  decide  that  it  is  not  incumbent  on  Gentile  converts. 

Acts  xv.  1 — 35 

1.  And  certain  men  which  came  down  from  Judcca, 
taughf  the  brethren,  and  said,  Except  ye  be  circum- 
cised after  the  manner  of  Moses,  ye  cannot  be  saved. 

It  was  not  upon  circumcision,  in  itself  considered,  that  they  so 
strongly  insisted ;  but  upon  that  rite  as  expressive  of  an  obligation 
to  observe  the  whole  law  of  Moses.  In  this  light,  circumcision 
was  regarded  by  the  Jews,  and  in  the  same  light  did  the  apostles 
view  it ;  for  Paul  says  to  the  Galatians,  v.  3,  I  testify  to  every  one 
of  you  that  is  circumcised  that  he  is  a  debtor  to  do  the  w  hole  law. 
By  the  phrase,  "  being  saved,"  used  in  this  verse,  the  Jews  did 
not  refer  to  final  salvation  in  a  future  life,  Avhich  was  not  the  object 
of  the  law,  but  to  deliverance  from  a  heathen  state,  which  is  called 
salvation,  and  being  introduced  into  the  liberty  of  the  people  of 
God.  To  enjoy  this  privilege,  these  Jews  maintained  it  was 
necessary  to  observe  the  law  of  Moses ;  but  Paul  and  Barnabas 
asserted  that  it  was  suflicient  for  this  purpose  to  profess  faith  in 
Christ,  without  conforming  to  the  law. 

2.  When,  therefore,  Paul  and  Barnabas  had  no 
small  dissension  and  disputation  with  them,  they  de- 
termined, that  Paul  and  Barnabas,  and  certain  other 
of  them,  '/.  c.  some  of  those  wlio  maintained  the  opposite 
opinion,  should  go  up  to  Jerusalem  unto  the  apostles 
and  ciders  about  this  question. 

Paul,  who  was  once  as  bigoted  as  the  rest  of  his  countrymen, 
tells  us,  that  he  was  made  accpiainted  with  the  privileges  of  the 
Gentiles  by  revelation,  probably  from  Christ  himself,  from  whom 
he  derived  the  knowledge  of  the  gospel.  "  Be  it  known  unto  you, 
that  by  revelation  he  made  known  unto  mc  the  mystery,"  Kph.  iii. 


XV.  1—12.)  ACTS.  159 

3 ;  but  some  of  the  converted  ,Te\vs  were  not  willing  to  admit  his 
authority  upon  this  subject,  and  persecuted  him  with  great  violence 
for  this  opinion  :  he  maintained  the  rights  of  the  Gentiles,  how- 
ever, with  invariable  perseverance  and  intrepidity,  both  in  his 
discourses  and  writings.  On  the  present  occasion,  he  is  willing  to 
refer  the  question  to  the  opinion  of  the  apostles  and  brethren  at 
Jerusalem. 

3.  And  being  brought  on  their  way,  "  beiiig  depiiied,^^ 
by  the  church,  they  passed  through  Phenice  and  Sa- 
maria, declaring  the  conversion  of  the  Gentiles,  and 
they  caused  great  joy  unto  all  the  brethren. 

The  apostles  were  first  encouraged  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the 
Gentiles,  by  the  conversion  of  Cornelius,  in  consequence  of  a 
divine  vision  to  Peter  ;  but  they  do  not  seem  to  have  undertaken 
to  do  it,  until  Paul  went  among  them  to  the  neighbourhood  of 
Antioch,  encouraged  by  the  advice  of  Christ  to  him  at  his  conver- 
sion, or,  perhaps,  by  a  particular  revelation.  The  conversion  of 
Gentiles,  therefore,  was  new  and  unexpected  intelligence  to  the 
brethren,  and  excited  in  their  minds  unfeigned  joy. 

4.  And  when  they  were  come  to  Jerusalem,  they 
w^ere  received,  "  they  were  joyfully  received,^^  of  the 
church,  and  of  the  apostles  and  elders,  and  they  de- 
clared all  things  that  God  had  done  with  them,  ^Hvhat 
they  and  God  had  done,^^  the  miracles  ivhich  God  had 
lurought,  and  the  services  ichich  they  had  performed. 

This  was  Paul's  third  journey  to  Jerusalem,  seventeen  years 
after  his  conversion  :  so  long  was  it  before  much  progress  had 
been  made  in  converting  the  Gentiles,  and  before  this  controversy 
arose  respecting  their  conformity  to  the  law  of  Moses.  The 
words  of  the  next  vers'^,  as  they  are  at  present  translated,  seem  to 
contain  an  account  of  a  party  formed  at  Jerusalem,  of  the  same 
principles  with  those  at  Antioch,  who  weie  for  imposing  the  law 
upon  the  neck  of  the  Gentiles-  but  they  are,  in  reality,  nothing 
more  than  the  report  of  Paul  and  Barnabas  to  the  church  of  the 
conduct  of  those  at  Antioch,  who  had  been  the  occasion  of  their 
taking  this  journey. 

5.  "But  there  arose  up,  '■'•there  had  risen  up, "^"^ 
i.  e.  in  foreign  parts,  certain  of  the  sect  of  the  Phari- 
sees who  believed,  saying,  That  it  was  needful  to 
circumcise  them,  and  to  command  them  to  keep  the 
law  of  Moses." 

This  was  the  language  of  the  believers  at  Antioch,  who  opposed 
Paul ;  they  are  mentioned  before  as  men  who  came  down  from 
Judsea;  but  we  here  learn,  what  indeed  we  might  have  supposed 
before,  that  they  were  Pharisees,  since  that  sect  was  the  most 
zealous  for  the  law. 


IGO  ACTS.  (xv.  1—12. 

6.  And  tlie  apostles  and  elders  came  together,  for 
to  consider  of  this  matter. 

7.  And  when  there  had  been  much  disputing,  Peter 
rose  up,  and  said  unto  them.  Brethren,  ye  know  how 
that  a  good  while  ago,  God  made  choice  among  us, 
that  the  Gentiles,  by  my  mouth,  should  hear  the  word 
of  the  gospel,  and  believe. 

8.  And  God,  which  knoweth  the  hearts,  bare  them 
witness,  giving  them  the  Holy  Spirit,  even  as  he  did 
unto  us  ; 

9.  And  put  no  difference  between  us  and   them, 

purifying  their  hearts  by  faith. 

Peter  endeavours  to  prove,  that  the  Gentiles  who  believed  were 
in  a  state  of  favour  and  privilege,  as  well  as  the  Jews;  and  his 
argument  for  this  purpose  is  God's  having  given  them  the  Holy 
Spirit,  or  poured  out  upon  them  miraculous  powers,  as  was  the 
case  in  the  instance  of  Cornelius,  to  which  he  himself  had  been 
witness.  This  was  a  proof  of  their  faith  in  the  gospel;  since  it  was 
a  favour  that  would  never  have  been  conferred,  except  upon  a 
believer.  This  faith  is  said  afterwards  to  purify  the  heart;  this 
refers,  not  to  any  moral  efficacy  of  their  faith,  but  its  cleansing 
them  from  that  uncleanness  which  adhered  to  them  as  idolaters 
and  unbelievers.  In  allusion  to  this,  the  vision  said  to  Peter, 
"  what  Cod  hath  cleansed,  that  call  thou  not  common  or  unclean." 

10.  Now,  therefore,  why  tempt  ye  God,  ^^why 
try  ye  God,''''  to  put  a  yoke  upon  the  neck  of  the 
disciples,  which  neither  our  fathers  nor  we  were  able 
to  bear  ? 

Why  try  ye  the  patience  of  the  Divine  being,  by  treating  the 
Gentiles  in  a  manner  so  contrary  to  his  own  conduct  towards  them  1 
so  contrary,  likewise,  to  the  principles  of  humanity,  which  teaches 
us  not  to  lay  upon  another  what  wc  arc  unwilling  or  unable  to 
bear  ourselves.  It  was  certainly  true  of  the  ancient  Jews,  that 
they  were  not  able  to  bear  the  yoke  of  the  law,  for  they  were  con- 
tinually forsaking  it  to  worship  idols ;  it  was  also  true  of  the 
modern  Jews,  who  had  so  corrupted  or  broken  their  law,  as  to  cast 
themselves  wholly,  as  a  people,  out  of  the  divine  covenant,  and  to 
reduce  themselves  to  the  state  of  the  Gentiles.  By  believing  in 
Christ,  however,  they  were  reinstated  in  the  divine  favour,  not  on 
the  ground  of  merit  but  of  mercy. 

11.  But  WO  believe  as  well  as  those  men,  Pmil 
and  Barnabas,  that  they,  the  Gentiles,  are  saved  by 
the  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

I  have  given  what  appears  to  mc  the  sense  of  this  passage,  and 


XV.  1—12.)  ACTS.  161 

what  the  language  of  the  original  will  ceitainlj'  bear.  The  grace 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  the  favour  of  God  in  the  gospel  of 
Christ:  by  this  favour  Peter  expresses  his  persuasion,  tliat  the 
Gentiles  are  saved.  The  apostle  is  speaking  of  what  has  actually 
taken  place,  and  not  of  what  will  be  in  future;  and  he  refers  to 
the  sentiments  of  Paul  and  Barnabas,  and  not  to  those  of  the 
Gentiles. 

12.  Then  all  the  multitude  kept  silence,  and  gave 
audience  to  Barnabas  and  Paul,  declaring  what  mira- 
cles and  wonders  God  had  wrought  among  the  Gentiles 
by  them. 


REFLECTIONS. 


1.  We  may  observe,  how  early  a  spirit  of  imposing  doctrines 
and  practices  began  in  the  church,  and  what  mischief  it  was  likely 
to  produce.  The  Jews  will  not  associate  with  Gentiles,  nor  allow 
them  the  name  of  brethren,  unless  tliey  conform  exactly  to  their 
faith  and  manners,  unless  they  submit  to  every  rite  and  to  every 
ceremony  which  they  had  been  taught  to  regard  as  sacred  and  impor- 
tant;  thus  imposing  restraints  upon  their  brethren,  which  it  would 
be  impossible  for  them  to  bear,  and  placing  a  bar  in  the  way  of  ail 
improvement  in  religion,  by  requiring  every  generation  of  men 
rigidly  to  adhere  to  the  practices  of  their  ancestors.  The  same 
spirit  still  prevails  in  the  world,  and  has  the  same  pernicious  ten- 
dency. There  are  men  who  are  for  imposing  their  own  opinions, 
their  own  feelings  and  language,  upon  others,  as  the  only  genuine 
standard  of  religion,  as  the  ouly  terms  of  acceptance  with  God. 
Those  who  cannot  conform  to  it  they  will  not  acknowledge  as 
brethren  ;  they  anathematize,  and  condemn,  and  treat  them  with 
the  most  opprobrious  language;  limiting  the  favour  of  the  Almigh- 
ty and  their  own  benevolence  to  the  few  who  constitute  their  own 
party,  and  cherishing  a  spirit  of  aversion  and  hatred  to  the  rest  of 
the  human  race ;  compelling  mankind,  as  far  as  they  are  able,  to 
retain  a  system  of  faith  erroneous  in  the  extreme,  merely  because 
it  is  that  in  which  they  have  been  educated. 

But,  blessed  be  God,  true  Christianity  breathes  a  different  spirit ; 
it  lays  but  little  stress  upon  ceremonies,  and  allows  of  great  diver- 
sity of  sentiment  in  articles  of  belief,  if  there  be  but  genuine 
faith  in  Christ ;  it  thus  tends  to  cement  into  one  body  the  various 
classes  of  mankind,  instead  of  dividing  them.  This  spirit  let  us 
cherish  and  cultivate,  both  in  ourselves  and  others,  with  the  utmost 
care,  and  discountenance  every  appearance  of  pride   and  bigotry. 

2.  We  learn,  from  this  poition  of  history,  the  utility  and 
necessity  of  disputes  on  religious  matters.  They  are  necessary  to 
correct  the  errors  of  the  mistaken,  to  oppose  the  usurpation  of  the 

VOL.  in.  w 


162  ACTS.  (xv.  13--35. 

arbitrary  and  a?suming,  and  to  defend  the  cause  of  trutli.  The 
apostolic  age  was  not  exempt  from  contention,  and  the  world  still 
enjoys  the  benefit  of  the  firmness  and  resolution  of  the  preachers 
of  the  gospel.  Had  no  disputes  then  taken  place,  we  must  at  this 
time  have  been  observers  of  the  law  of  Moses,  and  not  Christians 
at  all,  being  Jewish  Christians.*  Had  no  disputes  taken  place 
at  a  subsequent  period,  we  must  have  been  what  our  ancestors 
were,  idolaters  and  papists.  If  the  same  zeal  in  opposing  error 
and  usurpation  had  been  manifested  in  all  ages,  which  was  dis- 
played by  the  apostles,  popery  would  never  have  raised  its  head  ; 
but  some  becoming  indifferent  to  the  truth,  while  others  were 
zealous  in  propagating  error,  a  huge  mass  of  Jewish  ceremonies 
or  heathen  superstitions  were  added  to  Christianity,  which  destroy- 
ed every  appearance  of  the  original  system.  Let  us  not,  there- 
fore, lay  aside  weapons  of  defence,  because  they  have  sometimes 
been  applied  to  a  bad  purpose  ;  let  disputes  be  conducted  with 
candour  and  good  temper,  and  we  shall  liave  nothing  to  fear  from 
them  :  they  will  become  the  source  of  liberty  and  knowledge. 


13.  And  after  they,  i.  e.  Paul  and  Barnabas,  had 
held  their  peace,  James  answered,  sajing,  Brethren, 
hearken  unto  me : 

14.  Simeon  hath  declared  how  God  at  the  first 
did  visit  the  Gentiles,  to  take  out  of  them  a  people 
for  his  name ;  referring  to  the  conversion  of  Corne- 
lius by  Peter. 

15.  And  to  this  agree  the  words  of  the  prophets. 

Peter  had  already  mentioned  a  very  powerful  argument  in  favour 
of  the  admission  of  Gentiles  to  the  privileges  of  the  Christian 
church,  without  conformity  to  the  law,  the  circumstance  of  their 
receiving  the  Holy  Spirit,  or  miraculous  powers,  upon  faith  in 
Christ  alone.  This  afforded  a  strong  presumption  that  God  did 
not  require  from  them  the  observance  of  Jewish  rites,  since  the 
marks  of  his  favour  were  bestowed  without  them.  The  apostle 
James  has  recourse  to  another  argument  of  no  small  weight,  upon 
the  same  subject,  the  circumstance  of  the  call  of  the  Gentiles  being 
foretold  by  the  prophets. 

As  it  is  written, 

16.  After  this,  I  will  return,  and  will  build  again 
the  tabernacle  of  David,  which  is  fallen  down,  and  I 
will  build  again  the  ruins  thereof,  and  I  will  set  it  up. 

17.  That  the  residue  of  men  might  seek  after  the 
Lord,  and  all   the  Gentiles  upon  whom   my  name  is 

•  Gnlaiiann,  y.  t. 


XV.  13—35.)  ACTS.  163 

called,  "  who  are  called  by  name,^^  i.  e.  who  are  called 
my  people,  saith  the  Lord,  who  doth  all  these  things. 

18.  Known   unto  God  are  all  his  works*  from  the 

beginning  of  the  world. 

These  words  are  taken  from  the  book  of  Amos,  in  which  the 
recovery  of  the  glory  of  the  house  of  David  by  some  illustrious 
person  of  that  family,  and,  by  his  means,  the  conversion  of  the 
Gentiles,  are  foretold.  It  seems  to  be  foretold,  likewise,  that  they 
would  be  the  people  of  God  without  becoming  Jews;  for  Gentiles 
are  spoken  of  in  it  as  called  by  his  name.  The  apostle  subjoins  to 
his  quotation,  that  known  unto  God  are  all  his  works  from  the 
beginning  of  the  world.  This  may  prevent  all  surprise  at  such 
predictions,  since  God  foresees  all  things,  the  minutest  events  as 
well  as  the  most  important. 

19.  Wherefore  my  sentence  is,  '■^  my  opinion  is, ''^ 
that  we  trouble  not  them  which  from  among  the 
Gentiles  are  turned  to  God  ; 

20.  But  that  we  write  unto  them  that  they  abstain 
from  pollutions  of  idols,  and  from  fornication,  and 
from  things  strangled,  and  from  blood. 

21.  For  Moses  of  old  time  hath  in  every  city, 
them  that  preach  him,  being  read  in  the  synagogue 
every  sabbath  day. 

*'  From  pollutions  of  idols,"  i.  e.  from  things  relating  to  idols, 
which  cause  pollution.  By  these,  the  apostles  evidently  mean 
meats  offered  to  idols ;  for  it  is  so  expressed  in  the  letter  which  was 
written  on  his  recommendation.  Persons  might  partake  in  two 
ways  of  meats  offered  to  idols,  according  to  the  current  forms  of 
idolatry  which  prevailed  in  the  heathen  world ;  for  sometimes  one 
of  the  company  took  part  of  the  flesh,  and  threw  it  into  the  fire, 
accompanied  with  libations  of  wine,  as  an  offering  to  some  god, 
who  was  invoked  upon  the  occasion  ;  at  other  times,  those  who  had 
offered  sacrifice  in  the  temple,  invited  their  friends  to  partake  with 
them  of  the  flesh  of  the  victim,  at  an  entertainment  which  they 
had  provided,  or  sent  it  to  them  to  their  own  houses.  To  partake 
of  entertainments  in  either  of  these  ways,  which  had  so  evident  a 
relation  to  idolatry,  was  by  the  Jews  justly  considered  as  partici- 
pating in  idolatrous  worship,  and  as  producing  pollution  ;  and  they 
felt  exceedingly  averse  from  associating  with  those  who  had  been 
guilty  of  it.  To  prevent  offence  from  being  given  to  the  Jews,  the 
Gentiles  are  advised  to  abstain  from  such  entertainments. 

"  And  from  fornicatioru"  By  fornication  in  this  place,  some 
understand  that  irregular  intercourse  between  the  sexes,  wiiich  took 
place  in  heathen  temples,  and  made  a  part  of  their  worship ;  but  I  con- 

*  The  words  iaTi  tu  ©e«  »r*vT*  to.  tgyx  Avnv  are  omitted  by  Griesbach. — Edilsr^ 


164  ACTS.  (xv.  13—35. 

ceive  that  the  word  is  here  to  be  understood,  not  in  its  natural,  but  in 
its  metaphorical  sense,  and  tiiai  it  refers  to  every  species  of  idolatry. 

It  is  well  known,  tliat  in  the  Jewidli  Scriptures  the  connexion 
between  God  and  his  people  Israel  is  compared  to  the  marriage 
contract,  and  tliat  any  violation  of  it,  by  a  regard  shown  to  the 
heathen  gods,  is  spoken  of  as  adultery  and  fornication.  Hence  it 
came  to  pass  that  the  word  fornication  was  in  familiar  use  amongst 
the  Jews  for  idolatry.  Thus  we  find  them  saying  to  Christ,  when 
he  told  them  that  they  were  of  their  father,  the  devil,  "  we  be  not 
born  of  fornication  ;  we  have  one  Father,  even  God;"  i.e.  we  are 
not  idolaters,  but  the  people  of  God.  In  the  same  metaphorical 
sense,  is  this  word  used  in  the  book  of  Revelation.* 

When,  therefore,  the  apostle  James  proposes,  that  it  should  be 
recommended  to  the  Gentile  churches,  to  abstain  from  fornication, 
after  mentioning  eating  things  ofl'ered  to  idols,  he  must  mean 
every  species  of  idolatry,  or  rather,  what  might  appear  to  counte- 
nance or  support  it,  of  which  partaking  of  meat  offered  to  idols 
was  only  one  instance. 

"  And  from  things  strangled,  and  from  blood."  These  two 
things  arc  closely  connected  together,  as  well  as  the  two  preceding. 
To  eat  an  animal  that  is  strangled,  is  to  eat  its  blood,  a  thing  which 
was  strictly  jirohibited  to  the  Jews,  but  generally  practised  by  the 
heathens.  To  prevent  the  horror  which  this  would  occasion,  and 
to  enable  the  two  bodies  of  people  to  coalesce  into  one  church, 
they  are  now  directed  to  abstain  from  it. 

The  reason  assigned  for  these  prohibitory  recommendations  is, 
that  Moses  has  those  who  preach  him  in  every  city  ;  that  is,  there 
are  Jews  in  every  place,  to  whom  such  things  would  be  highly 
offensive.  This  shows  that  M'hat  the  apostle  recommended  was 
adapted  to  the  times,  and  only  regarded  as  temporary. 

22.  Then  pleased  it  the  apostles  and  elders, 
with  the  whole  church,  to  send  chosen  men  of  their 
own  company  to  Antioch  with  Paul  and  Barnabas ; 
namely,  Judas  surnamed  Barsabas,  and  Silas,  chief 
men  among  the  brethren  ; 

The  latter  became  the  intimate  friend  and  companion  of  Paul,  as 
we  find  from  this  history.  Some,  indeed,  have  supposed  that  he  is 
the  author  of  the  history.! 

23.  And  they  wrote  letters  ])y  them  after  this 
manner :  The  apostles,  and  elders,  and  brethren  send 
greeting,  ''wish  health,''^  unto  the  brethren  which 
are  of  the  Gentiles  in  Antioch,  and  Syria,  and  Cilicia  : 

24.  Forasmuch  as  we  have  heard  that  certain 
which  went  out  from  us  liave  troubled  you  with 
words,  '' ivith  doctrines,^^  subverting  your  souls,   "w?i- 

"  Schleusnerj  Lexicon,  Verb.  ITj»yi(a. 

f  Evanson's  Dissonance,  p.  106,  &c.  first  edition. 


XV.  13—35.  ACTS.  165 

settling  your  minds,^^  saying  ye  must  be  circumcised, 
and  keep  the  law,  to  whom  we  gave  no  such  com- 
mandment : 

It  seems  hence,  as  if  they  had  pretended  to  speak  in  the  name 
of  the  church  at  Jerusalem. 

25.  It  seemed  good  unto  us,  being  assembled 
with  one  accord,  to  send  chosen  men  unto  you  with 
our  beloved  Barnabas  and  Paul, 

26.  Men  that  have  hazarded  their  lives  for  the 
name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  L  e.  for  the  sake  of 
his  relimon. 

o 

27.  We  have  sent  you,  therefore,  Judas  and  Silas, 
who  shall  also  tell  you  the  same  things  by  mouth. 

28.  For  it  seemed  good  to  the  Holy  Spirit  and 
to  us,  our  own  natural  reason  and  the  miraculous pow- 
ers  communicated  to  us  convince  us  that  it  is  proper^ 
to  lay  upon  you  no  greater  burthen  than  these  neces- 
sary things ;  not  necessary  to  salvation,  hut  to  the  peace 
of  the  charch ; 

29.  That  ye  abstain  from  meats  offered  to  idols, 
and  from  blood,  and  from  things  strangled,  and  from 
fornication  ;  from  which,  if  ye  keep  yourselves,  ye 
shall  do  well.     Fare  ye  well. 

30.  So  when  they  were  dismissed,  "  tvheii  they 
departed,''^  they  came  to  Antioch,  and  when  they 
had  gathered  the  multitude  together,  they  delivered 
the  epistle, 

31.  Which,  when  they  had  read,  they  rejoiced  for 
the  consolation,  ^^for  this  encouragemenl.'''' 

32.  And  Judas  and  Silas,  being  prophets,  "  teach- 

ers,"*^  also  themselves,    exhorted    the    brethren   with 

many  words,  and  confirmed  them. 

The  word  prophets,  in  this  passage,  evidently  means  no  more 
than  teachers,  and  not  persons  who  predicted  future  events,  as  the 
term  is  generally  understood  ;  for  all  that  they  did,  was  exhorting 
and  confirming  the  brethren,  which  was  a  work  of  instruction,  and 
not  of  prophecy. 

S3.  And  after  they  had  tarried  there  a  space,  they 
were  let  go,  "  they  departed,'^''  in  peace  from  the 
brethren  unto  the  apostles. 


166  ACTS.  (xv.  13—35. 

They  were  received  at  first  with  joy,  and  now  departed  from 
them  on  the  best  terms  :  so  far  were  they  from  taking  olfence  at 
what  had  been  done. 

34.  Notwithstanding,    it   pleased    Silas  to  abide 

there  still. 

This  he  did  from  attachment  to  Paul,  as  it  afterwards  appeared; 
for  he  accompanied  him  in  his  travels. 

35.  Paul  also  and  Barnabas,  continued  in  Anti- 
och,  teaching  and  preaching  the  word  of  the  Lord, 
with  many  others. 


REFLECTIONS. 


1.  Christians  may  learn  instructions  from  the  caution  with 
which  the  Jews  avoided  every  action  which  might  be  construed  into 
an  approbation  of  idolatry.  They  would  not  partake  of  those  things 
which  were  offered  to  idols,  although  sent  to  their  own  houses, 
because  they  were  regarded  by  the  heathen  as  connected  with  reli- 
gion ;  much  less  would  they  appear  to  countenance  the  worship  of 
the  temples,  by  honouring  them  with  their  attendance.  Similar 
conduct  becomes  Christians  of  the  present  day,  in  respect  to  that 
fundamental  article  of  religion,  the  worsliip  of  one  God,  every  devi- 
ation from  which,  in  modern,  as  well  as  in  ancient  times,  has  been 
followed  by  many  debasing  superstitions,  and  a  great  corruption  of 
morals :  we  cannot,  therefore,  be  too  careful  in  guarding  against  a 
practice  which  has  always  been  followed  by  such  pernicious  conse- 
quences. The  first  and  great  commandment  is,  "  Hear,  O  Israel, 
the  Lord  our  (iod  is  one  Lord,  and  thou  shall  love  him  with  all  thy 
heart;  there  is  one  God,  and  none  other  but  he  ;'^  when  false  objects 
of  worship  are  joined  with  the  true,  the  aflectionsmust  necessarily  be 
divided,  and  the  heart  estranged. 

2.  Christians  would  do  well  to  learn  an  example  of  moderation 
from  the  conduct  of  the  apostles  and  early  Christians.  Although 
they  observed  the  law  themselves,  because  accustomed  to  it  from 
their  earliest  infancy,  they  did  not  require  the  observance  of  it  from 
others,  who  had  not  been  bred  in  the  same  habits,  and  to  whom  it 
would  have  proved  painful  and  burthensome.  Of  some  degree  of 
conformity  to  the  law,  indeed,  they  approved;  such  as  might  be 
complied  with  without  trouble,  and  would  tend  to  soften  the  prejudi- 
ces of  the  zealous  Jews:  but  this  conformity  they  do  not  audioritatively 
enjoin,  but  only  recommend.  Those  who  comply,  do  well,  but  those 
who  refuse,  are  not  condemned.  "  This  gentle  manner  of  concluding 
their  letter,"  says  Dr.  Doddridge,  "  was  worthy  of  the  apostolic 
wisdom  and  goodness.  Too  soon  did  succeeding  councils,  of  infe- 
rior authority,  change  it  for  the  style  of  anathemas ;  forms  which 
have,  I  doubt  not,  proved  an  occasion  of  consecrating  some  of  the 
worst  passions  of  the   human  mind  under  sacred  names,  and  which, 


XV.  30—41.)  ACTS.  167 

like  some  ill-adjusted  weapons  of  war,  are  most  likely  to  hurt  the 
hand  from  which  they  are  thrown." 

Christians  may  also  learn  hence,  that  to  comply  with  the  prejudi- 
ces of  mankind,  where  it  can  he  done  without  injuring  their  own 
consciences,  or  misleading  the  judgments  of  others,  is  not  only  inno- 
cent, but  laudable,  as  it  tends  to  soften  animosities  and  to  produce 
peace. 

3,  Let  us  ever  keep  in  mind  the  important  truth  which  the  apos- 
tle James  has  suggested,  when  he  says,  that  known  unto  God  are  all 
his  works ;  for  hence  it  will  follow,  that  under  his  government,  no 
event  can  happen  which  has  not  been  foreseen  or  intended  ;  that 
there  is  nothing  accidental  or  fortuitous  ;  that  there  is  nothing  which 
can  oppose  or  counteract  his  designs  ;  but  that  every  thing  is  con- 
trived, even  to  the  minutest  circumstance,  so  as  to  favour  the  accom- 
plishment of  his  purposes.  Let  this  idea  be  continually  present  to 
our  minds,  and  it  will  promote  peace  and  tranquillity  underthe  great- 
est personal  sufferings,  and  under  the  most  painful  apprehensions  for 
the  public  welfare. 


SECTION  XXIV. 

Paul  and  Barnabas  determine  to  visit  the  chircJtcs.     Their  dis~ 
sension  and  separation. 

Acts  xv.  36—41.    xvi.  1 — 5. 

^Q.  And  some  days  after,  Paul  said  unto  Barna- 
bas, Let  us  go  again,  and  visit  our  brethren  in  every 
city  where  we  have  preached  the  word  of  the  Lord, 
and  see  how  they  do,  "/imy  they  go  on.''^ 

The  object  proposed  by  the  journey  was,  to  inquire  about  their 
spiritual  welfare ;  to  see  whether  any  errors  had  crept  in  among 
them,  whether  they  remained  steady  in  the  profession  of  the  gospel, 
in  the  midst  of  opposition  and  danger ;  in  short,  what  occasion  they 
had  for  reproof  or  encouragement. 

37.  And  Barnabas  determined  to  take  with  them 
John,  whose  surname  was  Mark. 

This  person,  who  was  the  same  with  the  evangelist,  is  called  sister's 
son  to  Barnabas,  Col.  iv.  10,  The  circumstance  of  his  being  a 
relation  might  bias  the  judgment  of  his  uncle  in  his  favour,  and  in- 
cline him  the  more  readily  to  overlook  his  ill  behaviour  when  in  a 
like  situation  before;  but  Paul  had  not  the  same  motives  for  par- 
tiality, and,  therefore,  refused  the  offer  which  he  now  made  of  his 
services  a  second  time. 

38.  But  Paul  thought  not  good  to  take  him  with 


168  ACTS.  (xvi.  1— 5. 

them,  who  departed  from  them  from  Pamphylia,   and 
went  not  with  them  to  the  work. 

We  are  informed  in  the  tliirteentia  chapter,  that  Paul  and  Barna- 
bas, in  th(.'ir  first  circuit  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the  Gentiles,  had  for 
a  short  time  John  for  their  assistant;  but  when  they  came  to  Perga, 
in  Pampiiylia,  he  departed  from  them,  and  returned  to  Jerusalem, 
discouraged,  probably,  by  the  dilViculty  and  danger  of  the  work. 
Paul  was,  therefore,  naturally  afraid  that  he  would  manifest  the  same 
timidity  again,  and  thus  desert  ihem  when  they  stood  most  in  need 
of  his  assistance. 

39.  And  the  contention  was  so  sharp  between 
them,  that  they  parted  asunder,  one  from  the  other, 
and  so  Barnabas  took  Mark,  and  sailed  unto  Cyprus  : 

40.  And  Paul  chose  Silas,  and  departed,  being 
recommended  by  the  brethren  unto  the  grace,  "  the 
favour,''^  of  God. 

In  the  opinion  which  he  entertained  of  the  unfitness  of  Mark  for 
being  their  companion  in  preaching  the  gospel,  Paul  was  mistaken, 
and  he  had  the  magnanimity  to  retract  his  opinion,  and  to  acknowl- 
edge his  mistake:  for  after  this  time,  we  find  Mark  in  his  company, 
and  recommended  by  him  to  the  churches.  He  sends  salutations  from 
him  to  the  Colossians,  and  exhorts  them  to  receive  him  when  he 
should  come.  To  Timothy  he  says,  "  Take  Mark,  and  bring  him 
with  thee ;  for  he  is  profitable  to  me  for  the  ministry." 

41.  And  he  went  through  Syria  and  Cilicia,  con- 
firming the  churches. 

This  eflect  he  would  be  able  to  produce,  by  repeating  the  truths 
which  he  had  before  taught,  or  by  working  fresh  miracles. 


1.  Then  came  he  to  Derbe  and  Lystra,  and, 
behold,  a  certain  disciple  was  there,  named  Timothe- 
us,  the  son  of  a  certain  woman  which  was  a  Jewess, 
and  believed  ;  but  his  father  was  a  Greek  : 

2.  Which  was  well  reported  of,  by  the  brethren 
that  were  at  Lystra  and  Iconium. 

In  the  second  epistle  to  Timothy,  Paul  thus  writes ;  "  Greatly  de- 
siring to  see  thee,  being  mindful  of  thy  tears,  that  I  may  be  filled 
with  joy  when  I  call  to  remembrance  the  unfeigned  faith  that  is  in 
thee,  which  dwelt  first  in  thy  grandmother  Lois  and  thy  mother 
Eunice,  and  I  am  persuaded  that  in  thee  also."  "  Here  we  have  a 
fair  unforced  example  of  coincidence  ;"  I  quote  the  words  of  Dr. 
Paley.*  "  In  the  history,  Timothy  was  the  son  of  a  Jewess  that 
believed ;  in  the  epistle,  Paul  applauds  the   faith  that  dwelt  in  his 

*  Hora  PaulinK,  pp.  356,  348. 


xvi.  1—5.)  ACTS.  169 

mother  Eunice  ;  in  the  history  it  is  said  of  the  mother,  that  she  was 
a  Jewess,  and  believed  ;  of  the  father,  that  he  was  a  Greek.  Now 
when  it  is  said  of  the  mother  alone  that  she  believed,  the  father 
being  nevertheless  mentioned  in  the  same  sentence,  we  are  led  to 
suppose  of  the  father  that  he  did  not  believe,  i.  e.  either  that  ho  was 
dead,  or  that  he  remained  unconverted.  Agreeably  hereunto,  while 
praise  is  bestowed  in  the  epistle  upon  one  parent  and  upon  her  sincer- 
ity in  the  faith,  no  notice  is  taken  of  the  other.  The  mention  of 
the  grandmother  is  the  addition  of  a  circumstance  not  found  in  tlie 
ydstory;  but  it  is  a  circumstance,  which,  as  well  as  the  names  of  the 
parties,  might  naturally  be  expected  to  be  known  to  the  apostle, 
though  overlooked  by  his  historian.  In  the  same  epistle  St.  Paul 
says  of  him,  that  from  a  child  he  had  known  the  Holy  Scriptures. 
This  is  accounted  for  in  the  histor}^  when  it  is  said  that  his  mother 
was  a  Jewess  :  perhaps  he  was  not  less  likely  to  be  carefully  instruct- 
ed in  them,  for  that  his  mother  alone  professed  that  religion."* 

3.  Him  would  Paul  have  to  go  forth  with  him  ; 
and  took  and  circumcised  him,  because  of  the  Jews 
which  were  in  those  quarters :  for  they  knew  all  that 
his  father  was  a  Greek. 

As  they  knew  that  his  father  was  a  Greek,  they  would  conclude 
that  he  had  not  been  circumcised,  and,  therefore,  be  offended  by 
seeing  him  in  the  company  of  Paul,  and  employed  with  him  in 
preaching  the  gospel.  The  conduct  of  Paul  on  this  occasion,  has 
been  thought  by  some  to  furnish  a  proof  that  he  regarded  th<i  law 
of  Moses  as  of  perpetual  obligation  to  the  Jews;  since  he  recom- 
mended to  a  Jew  to  conform  to  it  in  one  of  its  most  distinguishing 
rites.  This,  however,  seems  to  be  inferring  more  from  his  conduct 
than  it  will  warrant :  but  it  appears  as  if  Paul  and  the  other  apostles 
thought  it  enough  to  represent  the  law  of  JMoses  in  their  writings  as 
abolished,  and  soon  to  be  laid  aside  by  the  destruction  of  their  polity 
and  temple,  while,  to  prevent  the  Jews  fron)  taking  umbrage  at  their 
conduct,  they  conformed  to  it  themselves,  and  recommended  it  to 
be  observed  by  all  of  Jewish  extraction.  In  another  case,  where 
the  Jews  required  Titus,  who  was  a  Greek  by  descent,  to  be  circum- 
cised, as  a  mark  of  subjection  to  the  law,  we  know  that  Paul  reso- 
lutely refused  to  gratify  their  wishes  :t  whether  the  present  compli- 
ance with  the  prejudices  of  the  Jews  v>ras  proper,  some  persons  may 
perhaps  question. 

4.  And  as  they  went  through  the  cities,  they 
delivered  them  the  decrees  for  to  keep,  that  were 
ordained  of  the  apostles  and  elders  which  were  at 
Jerusalem. 

5.  And  so  were  the  churches  established  in  the 
faith,  and  increased  in  number  daily. 

*  Horse  Paulinee,  p.  319.  f  Oalatians,  ii.  3,  <. 

VOL.    III.  X 


170  ACTS.  (xvi.  1—5. 

Had  the  Gentiles  been  required  to  observe  the  law  of  Moses,  many 
of  the  new  converts  would  have  given  up  their  profession  of  Chris- 
liaiiity  in  disgust,  and  many  others  been  prevented  from  joining 
them  ;  but,  by  the  wise  determination  of  the  church  at  Jerusalem, 
both  these  evils  were  avoided;  the  first  converts  were  retained,  and 
many  new  ones  added  to  their  number. 


REFLECTIONS. 


r.  From  this  history  we  learn  that  great  and  virtuous  characters 
may  differ,  and  that  those  differences  may  proceed  to  contention : 
for  such  is  the  situation  of  Paul  and  Barnabas,  each  of  them  plead- 
ing with  earnestness  for  the  excellence  of  his  own  plan,  and  for  the 
insufficiency  or  impropriety  of  that  which  is  recommended  by  his 
friend  :  yet  their  difference  is  accompanied  with  no  hatred  or  ill- 
will  ;  it  produces  no  disgust  with  the  work  in  which  they  are  engaged. 
They  separate  with  mutual  esteem  ;  they  continue  to  devote  them- 
selves to  the  same  benevolent  employment  of  instructing  mankind, 
although  in  different  ways,  and  prosecute  their  work  with  the  same 
zeal.  This  controversy  reveals  no  secret,  which  betrays  the  bad 
conduct  or  evil  designs  of  one  of  the  parties,  as  contentions  among 
the  wicked  have  uniformly  done  ;  no  plot  for  imposing  upon  the  cre- 
dulity of  mankind,  no  scheme  of  private  interest  or  ambition,  pur- 
sued under  colour  of  zeal  for  the  public  welfare.  Such  has  been 
the  usual  effect  of  contentions  and  separations  amongst  others,  which 
have  proved  fatal  to  the  undertaking  in  wliich  they  were  engaged  ; 
but  as  nothing  of  this  kind  occurs  here,  it  is  a  proof  that  nothing  of 
a  private  or  secret  nature  entered  into  the  views  of  Paul  and  Barna- 
bas. Thus  it  is,  that  we  gain  evidence  for  the  truth  of  the  gospel- 
history  from  the  concurring  testimony  of  the  first  teachers,  and 
especially  from  their  holding  the  same  language  under  every  other 
variety  of  opinion. 

2.  We  see  what  advantage  Christianity  derives  from  the  separa- 
tion of  those  things  from  it,  which  do  not  belong  to  the  system.  To 
have  imposed  the  law  of  Moses  upon  all  converts,  would  have  been 
gratifying  to  the  Jews,  but  would  have  given  disgust  to  the  Gentiles, 
and  proved  a  great  obstacle  to  the  success  of  the  gospel :  to  have 
retained  it,  would  have  been  a  constant  source  of  contention  and 
dispute,  of  rancour  and  hatred.  By  rejecting  it,  the  apostles  pre- 
served the  good  will  of  those  who  were  already  converted,  and  pre- 
pared the  way  for  the  conversion  of  many  more.  The  churches 
were  established  in  the  faith,  and  increased  in  number  daily. 

The  like  benefit  would  arise  to  the  gospel  of  Christ  by  our  separa- 
ting from  it  many  other  doctrines  and  rites,  which  have  been  added 
to  it  by  the  folly  or  wickedness  of  mankind.  By  such  errors  and 
additions,  inquisitive  and  thoughtful  minds  are  disgusted,  and  many 
are  induced  to  reject  Christianity  altogether,  or  prevented  from 
embracing  it ;  and  while  they  are  retained,  we  must  exoect  that  unbe- 
lievers will  increase  and  abound. 


xvi.  6—18.)  ACTS.  Hi 

Let  all  those,  therefore,  who  wish  well  to  Christianity,  exert  all 
their  influence  to  purify  it  from  every  foreign  admixture,  from  every 
thing  which  is  not  essential  to  its  nature.  For  this  purpose,  let 
them  make  an  undisguised  profession  of  ihe  truth  themselves,  and 
aid  every  scheme  for  communicating  it  to  others.  In  doing  this 
they  may  awaken  the  fears  of  some,  who  may  be  apprehensive  that 
by  such  proceedings  they  are  taking  from  Cliristianity  every  thing 
that  rendered  it  interesting,  or  even  undermining  its  foundations  ; 
but  let  them  not  be  deterred  by  such  fears.  They  are,  in  fact, 
restoring  it  to  its  native  dignity,  and  placing  it  on  a  firmer  founda- 
tion than  before ;  they  will,  by  this  means,  secure  the  wavering 
attachment  of  its  friends,  and  invite  many  to  return  who  had 
deserted  its  standard. 


SECTION  XXV. 

Paul  having  preached  the  gospel  in  Asia  Minor^  crosses  over  into 
Macedonia ;  and  at  Philippi  heals  a  woman  that  had  a  spirit 
of  divination. 

Acts  xvi.  G — 18. 

6.  Now  when  they  had  gone  throughout  Phrygia 
and  the  region  of  Galatia,  and  were  forbidden  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  to  preach  the  word  in  Asia,  i.  e.  in  Asia 
Proper,  or  Proconsular  Asia  ; 

7.  After  they  were  come  to  Mysia,  they  essayed, 
"  they  attempted,''''  to  go  intoBithynia  ;  but  the  Spirit 
of  Jesus*  suffered  them  not. 

8.  And  they,  passing  by,  ^''passing  through,'''' 
Mysia,  came  down  to  Troas. 

The  reason  of  this  prohibition  was,  that  they  might  meet  with  no 
interruption  in  their  progress  towards  Europe,  to  which  they  seem  to 
be  miraculously  called,  and  in  which  the  inhabitants  were  better  pre- 
pared to  receive  the  gospel.  That  the  restrictions  were  only  tem- 
porary, we  learn  from  the  eighteenth  chapter  of  this  history,  where 
we  find  Paul  preaching  at  the  city  of  Ephesus,  which  lay  in  this 
part  of  Asia,  but  especially  from  the  nineteenth,  in  which  we  are 
informed  that  he  spent  two  years  at  Ephesus,  "  so  that,"  it  is  added, 
"all  they  of  Asia  heard  the  word." 

In  the  seventh  verse,  the  best  manuscripts  read,  the  Spirit  of  Jesus, 
instead  of  the  Spirit,  as  it  is  in  our  translation,  and  that  is,  probably, 
the  original  reading.     The  miraculous  influence  which  accompanied 

*  <Jri€»bacli. 


173  ACTS.  (xvi.  0— 18. 

the  gospel  might  with  propriety  be  denominated  the  Spirit  of  Jesus, 
because  it  came  from  him,  and  was  intended  for  the  establishment  of 
his  cause  in  the  wjild. 

9.  And  a  vision  appeared  to  Paul  in  the  night : 
there  stood  a  man  of  Macedonia,  and  prayed  him, 
sajing,  Come  over  into  Macedonia,  and  help  us. 

10.  And  after  he  hnd  seen  the  vision,  immediately 
we  endeavoured  to  go  into  Macedonia,  assuredly  gath- 
ering that  the  Lord  had  called  us  for  to  preach  the 
gospel  unto  tiiem. 

It  appears  from  this  verse  th.'it  the  writer  of  this  history  was  the 
companion  of  Paul  on  this  journey  ;  fur  he  says,  '' «'e  endeavoured 
to  fi^o  into  Macedonia,  assuredly  gathering  lh;it  the  Lord  had  called 
us."     This  circumstance  gives  peculiar  authenticity  to  his  narrative. 

11.  Therefore,  loosing  from  Troas,  we  came  with 
a  straiiiht  course  to  Samothrace,  an  island  in  the 
narrow  pari  of  the  Archipelago,  and  the  next  day  to 
Neapohs,  a  town  on  the  continent  of  Europe. 

12.  And  from  thence  to  Philippi,  which  is  the 
chief  city  of  that  part  of  Macedonia,  and  a  colony  ; 
and  we  were  in  that  city  abiding  certain  days. 

The  Roman  historian,  Livy,  calls  Amphipolis  the  chief  city  of  this 
part  of  Macedonia,  and  therefore  seems  to  contradict  the  assertion  of 
Luke  :  but  both  accounts  may  be  true  ;  for  although  Amphipolis 
merited  this  distinction  when  Livy  wrote,  yet  in  the  time  of  Luke, 
above  one  hundred  years  after,  the  condition  of  the  two  places 
might  be  much  changed,*  so  as  to  justify  the  precedence  which  is 
here  given  to  I'hilippi.t 

13.  And  on  the  sahhath-day,  we  went  out  of  the 
city,  by  a  river  side,  where  prayer  was  \Aont  to  be 
made,  and  we  sat  down,  and  spake  unto  the  women 
which  resorted  there. 

Many  persons  have  supposed  that  the  word  which  we  render 
"prayer,"  should  be  understood  rather  of  the  place  than  of  the  act 
of  prayer.  It  is  certain  that  the  J<;ws  had  such  places  of  worship, 
wiliiout  tlie  gates  of  the  cities,  where  they  resided  in  foreign  coun- 
tries, either  because  they  were  too  poor  or  too  few  to  provide  a  syna- 
gogue, or  because  they  were  not  allowed  to  observe  their  form  of 
worship  within  the  gates  ;  and  that  these  oratories  or  places  of  prayer 

*  Pcarce,  Doddridge,  and  Benson  are  for  altering  the  text. 

+  Rv  u'-ing  the  Latin  word.  fo/o7;7/ of  I'liilippi,  I.uke  plainly  shows  its  connexion 
wiili  Rome,  which  will  acrve  to  explain  what  the  Pliiiippians  ai'lerwards  say  of  them- 
selves iu  the  tweniy-firat  verse,  that  they  were  llomaus,  that  is,  enjoyed  iho  privilege* 
of  Roman  citizens. 


xvi.  1—18.  ACTS.  173 

were  often  situated  near  the  sea  or  a  river,  for   tlio   sake   of  those 
purifications  which  the  Jews  practised.* 

14.  And  a  certain  woman,  named  Lydia,  a  seller 
of  purple,  of  the  city  of  Thyatira,  (a  city  of  Lydia,) 
which  worshipped  God,  heard  us,  whose  heart  the 
Lord  opened,  that  she  attended  unto  the  things  which 
were  spoken  of  Paul. 

Lydia,  perhaps,  derived  her  name  from  the  country  in  which  she 
dwelt,  wliich  was  a  province  of  the  Lesser  Asia.  This  woman,  who 
appears  to  have  been  a  person  of  property,  from  her  selling  purple, 
tlie  most  expensive  kind  of  clotli  used  by  the  ancients,  and  from  her  re- 
ceiving the  apostle  and  his  companions  at  her  house,  was  a  proselyte  to 
the  Jewish  religion,  which  is  intimated,  when  it  is  said  that  she  worship- 
ped God.  This  prepared  her  for  the  reception  of  the  gospel.  It  is 
said,  indeed,  that  the  Lord  opened  her  heart  for  this  purpose  ;  but 
we  are  not  to  infer  thence,  that  any  supernatural  influence  was  exer- 
cised over  her  mind,  to  make  her  a  convert ;  for  that  would  have 
superseded  the  use  of  all  means.  This  change  was  produced  entire- 
ly by  the  arguments  and  reasoning  of  the  apostle  Paul  and  of  those 
who  were  with  hini,  but,  being  a  good  effect,  is  attributed  by  the 
historian,  as  was  usual  with  pious  Jews,  to  the  immediate  hand  of 
God,  although  produced  in  the  ordinary  course  of  things. 

15.  And  when  she  was  baptized,  and  her  house- 
hold, she  besought  us,  saying,  If  ye  have  judged  me 
to  be  faithful  to  the  Lord,  come  into  my  house  and 
abide  there.  And  she  constrained  us,  '•'■  she  pressed  us 
to  compliance^ 

16.  And  it  came  to  pass  as  we  went  to  prayer, 
^^  to  the  oratory, '^'^  or,  '■'■place  of  prayer,'''^  a  certain 
damsel,  "  a  maid-servant,''''  possessed  with  a  spirit  of 
divination,  in  the  original,  "  a  spirit  of  Python,'''^  or, 
"  Apollo,''''  met  us,  which  brought  her  masters  much 
gain  by  soothsaying,   "-  hy  prophecying.'''' 

To  understand  the  account  that  is  given  of  this  woman,  it  is  ne- 
cessary to  observe,  that  amongst  the  Greeks  it  was  supposed  that  the 
spirits  of  their  daemons  took  possession  of  the  living,  and  that  in 
this  state  they  prophecied,  or  predicted  future  events  ;  their  prophe- 
cying  being  accompanied  with  fits  of  raving  madness.  Hence  it 
arose  that  mad  persons  of  a  particuhir  description  came  to  be  con- 
sidered as  animated  by  a  daemon  or  god,  and  capable  of  foretelling 
future  events.  This  was  the  condition  of  the  person  here  mention- 
ed :  she  was  insane,  and,  therefore,  supposed  to  be  possessed  by  the 
spirit  of  Apollo,  and  regarded  as  a  prophetess.  She  had  probably 
lucid  intervals,  which  qualified  her   belter   for  the  purpose   of  her 

*  Lardncr,  Vol.  I.  p.  110. 


174  ACTS.  (xvi.  6—18. 

masters,  whose  object  it  was  to  get  money  by  her  pretended  predic- 
tions. The  histori.in,  rntcrtaininji;  tlie  same  opinion  on  this  subject 
as  tiie  pagans,  K(Jo|>t.s  their  language,  i.  e.  lie  speaks  of  her  as  posses- 
sod  ;  but  no  wtll-inrornicd  Jew,  as  tiie  writer  of  this  liistory  must 
have  been,  could  suppose  that  the  heathen  daemons  had  a  power  of 
foretelling  future  events  ;  for  that  power  is  expressly  appropriated 
to  Jehovah  in  the  Jewish  Scriptures. 

17.  The  same  followed  Paul  and  us,  and  cried, 
sajing,  these  men  are  the  servants  of  the  most  high 
God,  which  show  unto  us  the  way  of  salvation. 

f'or  mad  persons  to  utter  what  is  true  and  rational,  is  no  unusual 
thing,  especially  if  they  have  intervals  of  sanity,  as  this  woman  pro- 
bably had,  wlien  they  may  acquire  the  kn(,wledge  of  what  is  passing 
around  them.  We  are  not,  therefore,  to  be  surprised,  that  she  was 
so  well  acquainted  with  the  pretensions  and  true  character  of  these 
preachers. 

18.  And  this  she  did  many  days;  but  Paul,  being 
grieved,  turned,  and  said  to  the  spirit,  I  command 
thee,  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  to  come  out  of 
her.  And  he  came  out  the  same  hour,  "  that  moment.^'' 

Her  disorder  was  madness,  but  being  supposed  to  be  possessed  by 
the  spirit  of  a  dasmon  by  the  spectators,  and  probably  by  the  apostle 
himself,  he  addresses  the  spirit  by  which  slie  was  animated,  and 
commands  him  to  come  out  of  her.  When  her  madness  was  cured, 
the  people  would  no  longer  suppose  her  to  be  inspired. 


REFLECTIONS. 


1.  The  practice  of  these  pious  women,  in  assembling  together 
•every  sabbath-day  to  worship  the  Divine  Being,  redounded  much  to 
their  honour,  and  deserves  our  imitation.  It  was  a  public  acknowl- 
edgment of  the  true  God  in  the  midst  of  idolaters  ;  it  was,  therefore, 
a  profession  of  the  truth,  where  there  was  the  strongest  temptation 
to  deny  it  ;  it  was  a  noble  instance  of  firmness  iii  a  good  cause,  and 
well  calculated  to  awaken  the  attention  of  spectators,  and  to  reclaim 
them  from  their  errors:  it  was  a  practice,  also,  which  had  a  happy 
tendency  to  relieve  their  minds  from  anxiety,  while  living  among 
strangers,  at  a  distance  from  their  native  country,  and  to  inspire  their 
hearts  with  the  most  exalted  hopes,  and  purest  afl'ections.  Justly 
did  Providence  honour  such  worshippers,  by  hastening  Paul  through 
the  provinces  of  lesser  Asia,  to  communicate  to  them,  without  delay, 
the  invaluable  treasure  of  the  gospel ;  and  well  had  they  prepared 
their  minds  by  these  devout  exercises  for  discerning  the  evidences  of 
its  divine  origin,  and  for  feeling  its  purifying  influence!  Let  Chris- 
tians of  the  present  day  imitate  their  example,  and  be  assured  that, 
although  they  may  not  be  distinguished   by  supernatural  benefits, 


xvi.  19—40.)  ACTS.  175 

their  conduct  will  be  attended  with  an  abundant  reward  of  religious 
improvement  and  comfort  at  present,  and  be  honoured  with  the 
divine  approbation  at  the  last  day  :  "  Wherefore,"  as  this  apostle 
writes  to  these  Philippians,  in  the  epistle  which  he  afterwards  address- 
ed to  them,  "  be  careful  for  nothiujr,  but  in  every  thincf,  by  prayer 
and  suppplication,  with  thanksgiving,  let  your  requests  be  made 
known  unto  God." 

2.  The  image  of  a  man  imploring  assistance,  is  a  just  emblem 
of  the  state  of  the  ancient  heathen  world.  Even  those  countries 
where  knowledge  and  civilization  were  most  advanced,  were  sunk, 
in  regard  to  religion,  into  the  grossest  errors  and  most  abject  super- 
stition ;  not  only  mistaking  the  ravings  of  insanity  for  the  inspired 
dictates  of  divine  wisdom,  but  imagining  that  the  most  important 
events  were  predicted  by  the  situation  of  the  stars,  by  the  flight  of 
birds,  and  the  entrails  of  a  beast ;  not  only  mistaking  the  object  of 
worship,  but  supposing  him  the  patron  of  vice,  and  seeking  his 
favour  by  vicious  practices.  What  a  perversion  of  religion  !  How 
wretched  a  condition  !  How  loudly  did  it  call  for  assistance  !  Let 
us  bless  God,  who  had  compassion  upon  his  creatures,  and  sent  them 
the  aid  which  they  needed.  Let  us  remember  with  gratitude  and 
pleasure,  the  event  which  is  here  recorded,  the  landing  of  the 
apostle  in  Europe,  and  the  first  communication  of  the  gospel  to  the 
inhabitants  of  this  quarter  of  the  globe.  It  was  the  prelude  to  the 
downfall  of  superstition  and  vice :  it  was  the  commencement  of  a 
new  oera  of  virtue  and  happiness  to  an  extensive  portion  of  the 
human  race. 


SECTION  XXVI. 

Paid  and  Silas  being  imprisoned  at  PMlippi,  arc  miraculously  set 
at  liberty,  and  honourably  dismissed. 

Acts  xvi.  19 — 40. 

19.  And  when  her  masters  saw  that  the  hope  of 
their  gains  was  gone,  they  caught  Paul  and  Silas,  and 
drew  them  into  the  market-place  unto  the  rulers  ; 

20.  And  brought  them  to, the  magistrates,  sa}ing. 
These  men,  being  Jews,  do  exceedingly  trouble  our 
city. 

21.  And  teach  customs  which  are  not   lawful   for 

us  to  receive,  neither  to  observe,  being  Romans. 

In  the  nineteenth  verse  they  are  said  to  be  brought  to  the  rulers, 
but  in  the  twentieth,  to  the  magistrates;  the  same  persons,  however, 
are  probably  intended  in  both  places,  unless,  indeed, as  some  suppose, 
the  first  words  have  been  added  to  the   text.     As   Philippi   was  a 


17G  ACTS.  (xvi.  19—40. 

Roman  colony,  tho  military  commander  might  be  the  civil  officer. 
The  markt  t-place  among  the  (Greeks  and  Romans,  was  the  pUice 
where  courts  of  justice  iield  their  sittings,  as  well  as  where  other 
public  business  was  transacted.  Paul  and  Silas  were  selected, 
when  Luke  and  Timothy  were  in  company,  as  being  the  most  dis- 
tinguished and  obnoxious  persons. 

22.  And  the  multitude  rose  up  too;etlier  aji;ainst 
ihem,  and  the  magistrates  rent  off  their  clothes, 
i.  e.  the  clothes  of  the  persons  accused,  as  was  usual 
with  the  Romans,  and  commanded  to  beat  them,  i.  e.  to 
beat  them  with  rods. 

23.  And  when  they  had  laid  many  stripes  upon 
them,  they  cast  them  into  prison,  charging  the  gaoler 
to  keep  them  safely  ; 

24.  Who,  having  received  such  a  charge  thrust 
them  into  the  inner  prison,  and  made  their  feet  fast  in 
the  stocks. 

Those  severities  were  inflicted  without  examination,  and  even 
without  inquiring  who  they  were  ;  but  these  illustrious  preachers  of 
the  gospel  were  far  from  being  discouraged  by  such  treatment. 

25.  And  at  midnight,  when  they  were  not  likely  to 
he  heard  or  to  disturb  any  one,  Paul  and  Silas  prayed, 
and  sang  praises  unto  God,  and  the  prisoners  heard 
them,  "  were  listening  to  them.'^'' 

26.  And  suddenly  there  was  a  great  earthquake, 

so  that  the  foundations   of  the  prison  were    shaken, 

and  immediately  all  the  doors  were  opened,  and  every 

one's  bands  were  loosed. 

The  bands  of  the  other  prisoners  were  loosed,  as  well  as  those  of 
Paul  and  Silas,  which  shows  that  the  earthquake  was  supernatural. 
An  ordinary  earthquake  would  not  have  produced  such  an  efl'ecl. 

27.  And  the  keeper  of  the  prison  awaking  out  of 
his  sleep,  and  seeing  the  prison  doors  open,  he  drew 
out  his  sword,  and  would  have  killed  himself,  suppo- 
sing that  the  prisoners  had  been  fled. 

28.  But  Paul  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  saying,  Do 
thyself  no  harm  ;  for  we  are  all  here. 

29.  Then  he  called  for  a  light,  and  sprang  in,  and 
came  trembling,  and  fell  down  before  Paul  and   Silas, 

30.  And  brought  them  out,  and  said,  Sirs,  what 
must  I  do  to  be  saved  ?  "  to  be  safe  f " 


xvi.l9— 40.)  ACTS.  177 

31.  And   thej  said,  Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be  safe,  and  thy  house. 

In  asking  this  question,  "  Wliat  sliall  I  do  to  be  saved  ?"  or,  to 
be  safe,  the  gaoler,  who  liad  probably  never  heard  of  a  future  life 
of  happiness  or  misery,  as  preached  by  the  apostles,  referred  entire- 
ly to  his  personal  security,  about  which  he  was  naturally  alarmed,  ia 
consequence  of  the  earthquake  which  had  shaken  the  house  to  its 
foundations,  and  opened  the  doors  of  the  prison.  The  answer  of 
Paul  and  Silas,  therefore,  assuring  him,  tliat  if  he  would  believe  in 
Christ  he  should  be  safe,  and  his  house,  must  refer  to  the  samo 
subject.  In  the  circumstances  in  which  the  parties  were  placed, 
this  was  the  natural  and  obvious  meaning  of  the  question  and 
reply,  and  the  interpretation  is  confirmed  by  the  language  of  the 
apostles  on  a  variety  of  occasions.  To  deliverance  from  Jewish 
superstition  and  heathen  idolatry,  by  embracing  Christianity,  they 
uniformly  apply  the  term  salvation,  or  being  saved.  Thus  we  are 
told,  that  God  will  have  all  men  to  be  saved  and  brought  to  the 
knowledge  of  the  truth,  where  the  latter  expression  explains  what  is 
meant  by  the  former.  The  principal  idea  included  in  this  salvation, 
was  evidently  a  deliverance  from  ignorance,  superstition,  and  false 
worship  ;  but  it  seems,  also,  to  have  been  connected  with  a  deliver- 
ance fiom  temporal  calamities  ;  for  with  such  calamities,  we  know 
that  the  Jews  were  threatened,  and  actually  visited,  for  their  rejection 
of  the  gospel,  while  those  who  embraced  it,  were  preserved  safe. 
On  this  ground,  the  apostle  Peter,  Acts  ii.  40,  exhorts  his  country- 
men to  save  themselves  from  this  untoward  generation.  To  similar 
evils  the  heathen  world  might  likewise  be  exposed,  if  they  acted  ia 
like  manner :  with  evils  of  this  nature,  the  gaoler  was  evidently 
threatened,  when,  on  account  of  his  severity  to  the  preachers  of  the 
gospel,  his  house  was  shaken  from  ihe  foundations.  They  might, 
therefore,  with  propriety,  tell  him,  that  if  he  believed  in  Christ, 
both  he  and  his  family  would  escape  danger.  This,  indeed,  was  not 
the  whole  or  principal  benefit  which  he  would  derive  from  his  faith  j 
but  it  was  all  about  which  he  inquired. 

I  have  dwelt  the  longer  upon  this  passage, because  the  interpretation 
given,  is  unusual,  and  may  probably  to  some  appear  harsh  ;  but  I  am 
persuaded,  that  a  proper  consideration  of  the  occasion,  and  of  the 
usual  language  of  the  apostles,  will  reconcile  the  mind  of  the  atten- 
tive inquirer  to  it. 

32.  And  they  spake  unto  him  the  word  of  the 
Lord,  and  to  all  that  were  in  his  house. 

33.  And  he  took  them  the  same  hour  of  the  night, 
and  washed  their  stripes ;  and  was  baptized,  he  and 
all  his,  straightway. 

34.  And  when  he  had  brought  them  into  his  house, 
he  set  meat  before  them,  and  rejoiced,  believing  ia 
God  with  all  his  house. 


178  ACTS.  (xvi.  19—40. 

His  joy  arose  from  the  assurance  which  had  heen  given  hiniof  secu- 
rity, and  from  the  happy  prospects  which  he  had  been  taught  to 
entertain. 

35.  And  when  it  was  day,  the  magistrates  sent 
the  sergeants,  '•'•  the  Victors,''''  saying,  Let  those  men  go. 

They  imagine,  that  the  punishment  already  inflicted,  is  suflicient 
to  deter  them  from  pursuing  the  same  course  of  life,  and  are  now 
very  willing  to  let  them  depart. 

SQ,  And  the  keeper  of  the  prison  told  this  saying, 
"  this  message,''^  to  Paul ;  The  magistrates  have  sent 
to  let  you  go  ;  now,  therefore,  depart,  and  go  in  peace. 

37.  But  Paul  said  to  them,  They  have  beaten  us 
openly,  uncondemned,  being  Romans,  and  have  cast 
us  into  prison  ;  and  now  do  they  thrust  us  out  pri- 
vately ?  Nay,  verily,  but  let  them  come  themselves 
and  fetch  us  out. 

The  Roman  law  strictly  forbade  the  beating  of  Roman  citizens 
with  rods  ;  that  ignominious  punishment  being  thought  only  suitable 
to  a  slave.  The  magistrates,  therefore,  had  been  guilty  of  a  great 
offence,  in  ordering  it  to  be  inflicted  on  Paul  and  Silas,  who  were 
entitled  to  that  privilege ;  and  their  oftence  was  aggravated  by  in- 
llicting  the  punishment  without  sufficient  grounds,  and  without  a 
trial.  It  was  necessary  to  exact  from  them  some  acknowledgment 
for  their  error,  as  the  means  of  preventing  the  like  arbitrary  proceed- 
ings and  similar  outrages  in  future.  Besides,  the  infliction  of  the 
njost  ignominious  punishment  publicly  upon  these  strangers,  was  a 
great  reflection  upon  tiicir  character,  and  tended  to  obstruct  the 
success  of  their  mission.  To  have  left  the  prison  privately,  would 
have  confirmed  the  susj)icions  which  had  been  thus  excited  in  the 
minds  of  the  people.  On  this  account,  Paul  insisted  upon  the 
magistrates  coming  themselves  to  release  them,  that  their  innocence 
might  be  rendered  as  public  as  their  pimishment. 

38.  And  the  officers  told  these  words  unto  the 
magistrates,  and  they  feared,  when  they  heard  that 
they  were  Romans. 

39.  And  they  came  and  besought  them,  and 
brought  them  out,  and  desired  them  to  depart  out  of 
the  city. 

40.  And  they  went  out  of  the  prison,  and  entered 
into  the  house  of  Lydia,  and  when  they  had  seen  the 
brethren,  tliey  comforted  them,  "  exhorted  them,''''  and 
departed. 


xvi.  19—10.)  ACTS.  179 


REFLECTIONS. 

1.  FromiIic  conduct  of  those  men  who  were  the  accusers  of  these 
preachers,  and  the  cause  of  their  punishment,  we  may  learn,  how  ;i 
pretended  zeal  for  religion  and  the  public  welfare,  may  be  employed 
to  cover  interested  and  selfish  motives.  So  long  as  their  actions 
interfere  not  with  the  interests  of  individuals,  ihey  are  allowed  to  be 
innocent  and  peaceable  men  ;  they  are  allowed  to  worship  and  teach 
as  they  please;  but  no  sooner  do  their  enemies  find  their  property 
aflected,  and  the  hope  of  their  gain  departed,  than  they  ate  de- 
nounced as  troublers  of  the  cit}',  and  teachers  of  unlawful  customs, 
and  justiee  is  demanded  against  them  as  public  nuisances.  Men  of 
the  same  character  and  temper  are  to  be  found  in  every  age,  who 
raise  a  noisy  clamour  about  religion  and  the  public  good,  whenever 
any  new  doctrine  or  practice  is  proposed,  while  they  are  actuated 
only  by  resentment  for  past,  oi  by  fear  of  future  losses.  Happy  are 
they  who  have  wisdom  to  discern  their  motives,  and  firmness  to  resist 
their  clamours,  and  sufler  not  themselves,  as  these  magistrates  at 
Philippi  did,  to  be  hurried  into  acts  of  violence  and  injustice  to 
the  iustructers  and  reformers  of  mankind.  From  this  example  we 
may  judge  how  much  opposition  Christianity  must  have  experienced 
from  those  who  found  themselves  interested  in  the  support  of  pagan 
worship  and  pagan  superstition,  and  how  strong  that  evidence  must 
have  been  which  could  establish  it  in  the  world,  in  the  face  of  this 
opposition. 

2.  We  see  what  joy  a  belief  in  the  gospel  is  capable  of  producing 
in  the  most  afflicted  circumstances.  The  objects  of  general  indigna- 
tion, confined  to  the  closest  part  of  a  prison,  lying  in  the  most  uneasy 
posture,  and  smarting  with  the  anguish  of  the  wounds  which  had 
been  just  inflicted — one  might  have  supposed,  that  these  two  com- 
panions in  wretchedness  would  have  spent  the  night  in  sighs  and 
groans,  and  mutual  lamentations,  or  in  deep  and  sullen  silence ;  or, 
that  if  they  had  formed  any  articulate  sound,  it  would  be  to  exclaim 
against  the  violence  of  the  populace,  and  the  injustice  of  the  magis- 
trates ;  to  call  for  vengeance  upon  their  persecutors,  or  to  arraign  the 
justice  of  Heaven  in  suffering  them  to  go  unpunished  :  but  to  find 
them  easy  in  such  circumstances,  rejoicing  in  their  sufferings,  and 
singing  psalms  of  praise  to  God,  is  truly  surprising :  yet  is  it  the 
natural  efiect  of  a  firm  faith  in  the  gospel  of  Christ,  and  of  a  well- 
grounded  expectation  of  those  glorious  rewards  which  are  prom- 
ised to  all  who  suffer  in  its  defence.  Happy  men  !  Ye  are  more  to 
be  envied  in  your  dungeon  than  the  men  who  placed  you  there,  than 
the  greatest  and  most  affluent  of  the  human  race,  who  are  sleeping 
upon  beds  of  down.  If  such  be  the  fruits  of  your  principles, 
Christians,  cherish  them  in  your  hearts  with  the  utmost  care  :  fear 
not  pain,  or  sorrow,  or  death  ;  these  principles  will  obtain  for  you  a 
glorious  triumph  in  every  scene. 

3.  We  learn  that  Christianity  does  not  require  men  to  abandon 
their  civil  rights,  and  tamely  to  submit  to  tyranny  and  oppression. 


180  ACTS.  (xvii.  1—15. 

Paul  claims  his  privilcjjes  as  a  Roman  citizen,  reproves  the  magis- 
trates for  violating  them,  and  insists  upon  thoir  conducting  him  out  of 
prisc>n,  as  an  acknuwlcclgnieut  of  their  fault,  and  as  a  tribute  of 
homage  to  the  hiws. 


SECTION  XXVII. 

Paul  preaches  at  Thessalonica  and  Bcrca,  andhcing  persecuted  by 
the  Jews,  comes  to  Athens. 

Acts  xvii.  1 — 15. 

1.  Now  when  they  had  passed  through  Amphipo- 
lis  and  Apollonia,  they  came  to  Thessalonica,  where 
was  a  synagogue  of  the  Jews. 

This  convenience  Philippi,  the  last  place  wliich  they  had  visited, 
did  not  afford.  The  apostle  takes  advantage  of  it,  as  usual,  to 
preach  the  gospel  first  to  his  countrymen.  The  two  first  of  these 
places  were  considerahle  cities,  which  lay  to  the  westward  of 
Philippi,  along  the  coast  of  the  /Egian  sea.  Thessalonica  was 
upon  the  same  sea,  and  a  large  and  trading  city.  As  Luke  speaks 
of  Paul  and  his  companions  in  the  third  person,  it  is  probable  that 
he  accompanied  him  no  further  than  Philippi;  but  Silas  and 
Timothy  were  still  with  him. 

2.  And  Paul,  as  his  manner  was,  went  in  unto 
them,  and  three  sabbath-days  reasoned  with  them  out 
of  the  Scriptures, 

3.  Opening,  i.  e.  the  Scriptures,  and  alleging, 
^^ proviiig,^^  that  Christ  must  needs  have  suffered  and 
risen  again  from  the  dead,  and  that  this  Jesus,  whom 
I  preach  unto  you,  is  Christ. 

As  the  Jews  entertained  a  firm  expectation  of  a  great  deliverer 
under  the  character  of  the  Messiah,  founded  upon  the  prophecies 
of  their  Scriptures,  the  readiest  way  to  bring  them  over  to  Chris- 
tianity, was  to  show  that  these  prophecies  were  fulfilled  in  Jesus 
of  Nazareth,  and  particularly  in  that  least-c.xpected  part  of  the 
history  of  the  Messiah,  his  death  and  resurrection.  This  was 
what  the  apostle  often  attempted  to  do,  and  not  without  success. 
In  this  exposition  of  the  prophecies  there  is  no  reason  to  suppose 
that  he  was  miraculously  assisted;  his  own  judgment,  aided,  as  it 
must  be,  by  the  other  evidence  which  he  possessed  to  prove  that 
Jesus  was  the  Messiah,  would  be  sufficient  for  this  purpose:  a 
prophecy,  which  requires  inspiration  to  understand  it,  does  not 
deserve  the  name. 

4-     .And   some  of   them   believed,    and    consorted 


xvii.  1—15.)  ACTS.  181 

with  Paul  and  Silas,  ^^  joined  them,''''  and  of  the  de- 
vout Greeks  a  great  multitude,  and  of  the  chief 
women,  not  a  hw. 

The  labours  of  the  apostle  at  Thessalonica,  at  this  time,  laid  the 
foundation  of  a  very  considerable  church  in  that  city,  to  which  he 
afterwards  addressed  two  epistles,  which  we  have  at  this  day  ;  but 
we  learn  thence,  that  the  church  principally  consisted  of  converts 
from  heathenism;  for  thus  the  apostle  writes,  1  Thes.  i.  9,  "  For 
they  themselves  show  of  us  what  manner  of  entering  in  we  had 
unto  you,  and  how  ye  turned  to  God  from  idols,  to  serve  the  living 
and  true  God;"  whereas,  according  to  the  account  given  by  Luke 
in  this  history,  the  converts  were  all  Jews  or  devout  Greeks,  who 
were  worshippers  of  God,  and  could  not  be  said  to  be  turned  from 
idols.  This  seeming  difference,  however,  between  the  history  and 
the  epistle,  is  removed  by  supposing  that  the  passage  in  the  history 
describes  only  the  effects  of  Paul's  discourses,  during  the  three 
sabbath-days  that  he  preached  in  the  synagogue  ;  and  that  his  ap- 
plication to  the  Gentiles  at  large,  and  his  success  amongst  them, 
were  subsequent  to  this.*  It  may  be  seen  in  Griesbach  that  there 
is  a  reading  of  the  passage,  supported  by  respectable  authorities, 
which  entirely  removes  the  difficulty;  viz.  "and  of  devout  persons 
and  of  Greeks,"  &c.  Paul  must  have  spent  a  longer  time  in  the 
place  than  three  weeks  ;  for  during  his  residence  there,  ho  received 
supplies  once  and  again  from  the  Philippians  for  his  support,  which 
he  would  not  have  wanted  in  so  short  a  period.  He  tells  the 
Thessalonians,  also,  that  he  wrought  with  his  own  hands,  that  he 
might  not  be  chargeable  to  any  of  them  :  it  is  probable,  therefore, 
that  after  having  spent  three  sabbath-days  in  preaching  to  the  Jews, 
and  having  found  his  labours  attended  with  little  success,  he  quitted 
the  synagogue,  and  preached  to  a  Gentile  audience,  by  whom  his 
services  were  better  received. t 

5.  But  the  Jews  took  unto  them  certain  lewd 
fellows  of  the  baser  sort,  '•'- wicked  men  of  the  rabble,^^ 
and  gathered  a  company,  ^'■gathered  a  mob,''^  and  set 
all  the  city  on  an  uproar,  and  came  up  to  the  house 
of  Jason,  and  sought  to  bring  them  out  to  the  people. 

6.  And  when  they  found  them  not,  they  drew 
Jason  and  certain  brethren  unto  the  rulers  of  the  city, 
crying,  These  that  have  turned  the  world  upside 
down  are  come  hither  also ; 

7.  Whom  Jason  hath  received ;  and  these  all  do 
contrary  to  the  decrees  of  Csesar,  saying,  That  there 
is  another  king,  one  Jesus. 

The  charge  brought  against  Jesus  by  the  Jews,  before  Pontius 
Pilate,  was,  that  he    made   himself  king  of  the  Jews,  because  he 

*  Paley's  Horae  Paulines,  pp.  309,  3U.      f  Paley'3  Horee  Paulinae,  pp.  306,  311. 


182  ACTS.  (x-vii.  1— 15. 

represented  himself  as  the  head  of  a  new  dispensation,  which  was 
called  tile  kintjdom  of  heaven  ;  and  tlie  same  ciiarge  is  now  ex- 
hibited against  his  disciples,  probably  on  the  same  ground. 

8.  And  they  troubled  the  peojDle,  "  the  common 
peopled  and  the  rulers  of  the  city,  when  they  heaid 
these  things. 

They  were  alarmed,  lest  some  scheme  shonld  be  carrying  on,  in 
opposition  to  the  Roman  government,  which  might  involve  them 
in  trouble. 

9.  And  when  they  had  taken  security  of  Jason 
and  of  the  other,  they  let  them  go. 

During  the  violence  of  the  mob,  the  apostle  and  his  companion 
were  in  concealment ;  but  as  soon  as  the  tumult  had  subsided,  his 
friends  took  the  first  opportunity  of  sending  him  away  to  a  place 
of  safety. 

10.  And  the  brethren  immediately  sent  away  Paul 
and  Silas  by  night,  unto  Berea,  a  town  of  Macedonia, 
at  some  distance  from  Thessalonica,  who,  coming 
thither,  went  into  the  synagogue  of  the  Jews. 

11.  These  were  more  noble,  '^  of  a  better  dispo- 
sition,^^ than  those  in  Thessalonica,  in  that  they  re- 
ceived the  word  with  all  readiness  of  mind,  and 
searched  the  Scriptures  daily,  whether  these  things 
were  so. 

The  apostle  pursued  the  same  method  of  proof  with  the  Be- 
reans,  as  he  had  done  before  with  the  Thessalonians,  appealing  to 
the  prophecies  of  the  Old  Testament,  but  with  greater  success, 
because  he  addressed  himself  to  a  more  candid  and  inquisitive 
audience. 

12.  Therefore,  many  of  them  believed ;  also  of 
honourable  women  which  were  Greeks,  and  of  men 
not  a  few. 

He  made  many  converts,  not  only  from  the  Jews,  but  likewise 
from  the  Gentiles,  and  some  of  them  persons  of  the  first  rank. 

13.  But  when  the  Jews  of  Thessalonica  had 
knowledge  that  the  word  of  God  was  preached  of 
Paul  in  Berea,  they  came  thither  also,  and  stirred  up 
the  people. 

Having  seen  their  success  in  raising  a  mob  against  these  strangers, 
they  resolved  to  try  the  same  experiment  a  second  time  at  Berea, 
and  they  were  unhappily  successful.  The  apostle  and  his  compan- 
ions are  again  obliged  to  flee  from  them. 


xvii.  1—15.)  ACTS.  183 

14.  And  then  immodiately  tlie  brethren  sent  away 
Paul,  to  go,  as  it  were,  to  the  sea,  "«5  if  on  his  way 
to  the  sea ;"  but  Silas  and  Timotheus  abode  there 
still. 

15.  And  they  that  conducted  Paul  brought  him 
unto  Athens,  no  doubt  by  his  oivn  direction,  and  receiv- 
ing a  commandment  unto  Silas  and  Timotheus  for  to 
come  to  him  with  all  speed,  they  departed. 


REFLECTIONS. 

1.  Let  not  the  friends  of  truth  and  of  the  best  interests  of 
man,  be  offended  or  discouraged  at  the  ill  treatment  which  they 
experience  from  the  world.  Anxiously  endeavouring  to  rescue 
men  from  ignorance,  superstition,  and  vice,  to  deliver  them  from 
those  disorders  which  are  the  natural  consequences  of  such  evils, 
and  hereby  to  promote  virtue,  good  order,  and  general  tranquillity, 
are  they  represented  as  enemies  to  the  public  peace,  and  as  wishing 
to  promote  anarchy  and  disorder?  Is  their  zeal  spoken  of  as 
pride  ?  their  benevolence  as  selfishness  ?  their  courage  in  avowing 
the  truth  as  obduracy  in  wickedness,  and  their  desire  for  reforma- 
tion as  restless  ambition,  aiming  to  exalt  itself  upon  the  ruins  of 
public  order  ?  Are  they  accused  of  being  artful  men,  who,  under 
cover  of  zeal  for  religion,  are  propagating  political  principles  of 
the  most  dangerous  tendency  1  However  painful  it  may  be  to  the 
feelings  of  a  generous  mind  to  have  its  views  thus  misunderstood 
or  misrepresented,  there  is  no  reason  for  complaint  or  discourage- 
ment, for  arraiijning  the  justice  of  Heaven,  or  for  despairing  of  a 
good  cause.  The  same,  or  even  more  atrocious  calumnies  have 
been  uttered  against  men  whose  upright  intentions  and  unspotted 
character  are  universally  acknowledged;  against  men  who  have 
obtained  the  esteem  and  veneration  of  all  ages,  and  who  are  celebra- 
ted as  the  deliverers  of  the  world.  By  ignorantly  or  maliciously 
uttering  them  against  you,  men  pay  involtmtary  homage  to  your 
characters,  and  rank  you  with  apostles,  who  are  represented  as 
those  that  turn  the  world  upside  down,  as  teaching  things  contrary 
to  Ccesar,  and  endeavouring  to  overthrow  his  government. 

2.  Let  us  admire  and  imitate  the  undaunted  zeal  and  fortitude 
of  these  first  preachers.  No  sooner  are  they  delivered  from  close 
imprisonment  and  severe  scourging  at  Philippi  for  preaching  the 
gospel,  than  they  renew  their  labours  at  Thessalonica ;  when 
driven  from  this  city,  by  a  mob  of  misguided  or  malicious  rabble, 
they  resume  the  same  undertaking  at  Berea ;  and  when  driven 
thence,  in  like  manner,  v/e  shall  still  find  them  engaged  in  the 
same  hazardous  office.  No  clamours  can  silence  their  voice,  no 
dangers  deter  them,  no  obstacles  arrest  their  progress.  If  you  ask 
what  is  the  cause  of  this  undaunted  courasfo  and  invincible  resolu- 


184  ACTS.  (xvii.  16—34. 

tion,  you  will  find  it  in  the  persuasion,  that  they  were  the  bearers 
ol"  a  divine  message,  the  preachers  of  the  most  important  and 
salutary  truth.  Read  the  epistles  which,  with  the  aflection  of 
parents,  they  address  to  tiieir  children  in  Christ,  at  Philippi  and 
Thessalonica,and  you  will  there  see  this  short  history  illustrated  ;  the 
motives  of  their  conduct  and  principles  by  which  they  are  anima- 
ted ;  and  both  will  unite  to  increase  your  admiration  of  their  char- 
acters. Let  those  who  have  a  like  well-founded  persuasion  of 
being  engaged  in  promoting  the  glory  of  God  and  the  best  inter- 
ests of  mankind,  display  the  same  zeal,  and  they  need  not  doubt 
of  the  same  happy  issue. 

3.  Let  us  observe  the  honourable  mark  of  distinction  which 
is  bestowed  upon  those  who  cherish  a  s|)irit  of  inquiry;  they  are 
reckoned  more  noble  than  those  of  a  contrary  disposition.  They 
discover  a  greater  love  of  truth,  more  candour,  more  humility, 
more  wisdom  than  other  men.  Those  who  call  in  question  old 
opinions,  and  attend  to  such  as  are  new,  are  condemned  by  some 
persons  as  manifestinij  an  indifference  to  the  truth,  as  men  who 
will  soon  destroy  the  foundations  of  true  relision  ;  but  not  in  this 
light  were  such  men  regarded  by  the  sacred  historians  ;  he  com- 
mends their  spirit  and  records  its  success. 


SECTION  xxviir. 

Paul,  pi'cacldng  at  Athens,  is  brought  to  the  Areopagus. 

Acts  xvii.  16 — 34. 

16.  Now  while  Paul  waited  for  them  at  Athens. 
I.  e.for  Silas  and  Timothy,  his  spirit  was  stirred  in 
him,  "  he  was  provoked,''''  when  he  saw  the  city 
wholly  given  to  idolatry,  '-'■full  of  images.'''' 

This  account  of  Athens  is  confirmed  by  the  testin^ony  of  con- 
temporary historians  arul  poets  :  one  of  the  former  asserts,  that 
then:  was  no  place  in  which  more  images  were  to  be  seen  than 
Athens;  and  one  of  the  latter,  that  it  was  at  Athens  more  easy  to 
find  a  god  than  a  man.  What  provoked  Paul  was,  to  find  a  city,  so 
celebrated  for  its  wisdom,  so  much  addicted  to  idolatry. 

17.  Therefore  disputed  he  in  the  synagogue  with 
the  Jews,  and  with  the  devout  persons,  i.  e.  with 
proselyte  Gentiles,  and  in  the  market  daily  with  them 
that  met  with  them. 

The  niarket-place  in  Greece,  and  the  forum  at  Rome,  were  the 
places  where  courts  of  Justice  were  liolden,  and  where  persons 
assembled  for  conversation.  This  was,  therefore,  the  best  place  for 
the  apostle  to  attempt  to  gain  the  attention  of  the  Gentiles. 


xvli.  IG— 34.)  ACTS.  185 

18.  Then  certain  philosophers  of  tlie  Epicureans 
and  of  the  Stoics,  encountered  him,  and  some  said, 
What  will  this  babbler  say,  "  What  does  he  mean  V 
other  some,  "  others  said,''^  He  seemeth  to  be  a  setter 
forth  of  strange  gods,  "  of  new  gods,^^  because  he 
preached  unto  them  Jesus,  and  the  resurrection. 

The  principles  of  these  two  leading  sects  of  philosophy  were 
sufficiently  from  each  other,  as  well  as  from  those  of  the  apostle. 
The  Epicureans  believed,  that  there  were  gods,  but  maintained 
that  the  world  v/as  made  by  chance,  and  that  the}'^  did  not  exercise 
any  providence  over  it ;  that  man's  chief  good  consisted  in  the 
enjoyment  of  pleasure,  and  that  there  was  no  life  after  the  present. 

The  Stoics,  on  the  contrary,  assorted,  that  pain  was  no  evil; 
that  virtue  was  its  own  reward,  and  vice  its  own  punishuient; 
that  all  things  were  subject  to  a  blind  and  irresistible  necessity. 
About  a  future  state  the  Stoics  spoke  doubtfully,  although  they 
appear  to  have  had  some  expectation  of  it. 

Because  the  chief  subject  of  Paul's  discourse  with  them  was 
Jesus  and  the  resurrection,  they  supposed  the  resurrection  to  be 
some  new  god,  which  he  wished  to  introduce  to  their  acquaintance. 

19.  And  they  took  him  and  brought  him  unto 
Areopagus,  saying.  May  we  know  what  this  new 
doctrine,  whereof  thou  speakest,  is  ? 

20.  For  thou  bringest  certain  strange  things  to  our 
ears ;  we  would  know,  therefore,  what  these  things 
mean. 

21.  For  all  the  Athenians  and  strangers  which 
were  there,  spent  their  time  in  nothing  else,  but 
either  to  tell  or  to  hear  some  new  thins. 

Areopagus  was  a  building  at  Athens,  in  which  a  court,  called 
the  court  of  Areopagus,  was  holden  ;  a  superior  tribunal  amongst 
the  A.thenians,  instituted  for  the  purposes  of  presiding  over  the 
laws,  and  over  manners;  of  taking  care,  in  particular,  that  no 
innovations  were  made  in  the  established  religion.*  On  this  ac- 
count, some  have  supposed,  that  Paul  was  brought  into  this  court 
in  order  to  be  formally  tried  on  the  charge  of  introducing  new 
gods  ;  but  the  historian  plainly  intimates  that  their  object  in  bring- 
ing him  thither  was  nothing  more  than  curiosity,  that  they  might 
have  a  better  opportunity  than  they  could  enjoy  in  the  market- 
place, of  hearing  the  new  and  strange  doctrine  which  he  professed 
to  teach. 

The  account  here  given  of  the  manner  in  which  the  principal 
inhabitants  of  Athens,  and  the  foreigners  who  came  to  visit  them, 

*  Travels  of  Anacharsis,  arliclc  Areopagus. 
VOL.    Ill,  Z 


186  ACTS.  (xvii.  10—34. 

spent  their  time,  accords  very  well  with  the  character  of  a  polish- 
ed, inquisitive,  and  wealthy  people,  such  as  we  know  the  Athe- 
nians to  have  been  :  it  corresponds,  likewise,  with  what  is  said  of 
them  by  some  of  their  own  writers.* 

22.  Tlieu  Paul  stood  in  the  midst  of  Mars'  Hill, 
^^  of  Areopagus,''''  and  said.  Ye  men  of  Athens,  I 
perceive  you  altogether  much  given  to  religious  wor- 
ship. 

In  this  manner,  I  conceive,  the  passage  may  be  best  rendered, 
which  makes  the  apostle's  language  far  more  agreeable  to  that 
decorum  which,  we  may  suppose,  he  would  be  careful  to  observe 
in  addressing  such  an  audience,  than  that  which  he  is  made  to 
speak  in  our  translation,  where  he  is  supposed  to  say,  "  Ye  are  in 
all  things  too  superstitious,"  a  charge  which  would  disgust  his 
hearers  at  the  outset,  and  prevent  thera  from  paying  further 
attention  to  his  discourse.! 

23.  For  as  I  passed  by,  and  beheld  your  devotions, 
"  the  objects  of  your  worship,^^  1  found  an  altar  with 
this  inscription,  to  an  unknown  God.  Whom,  there- 
fore, ye  ignorantly  worship,  ''^worship  without  knoiv- 
ing  him,''''  him  declare  I  unto  you. 

Paul  did  not  imagine,  I  suppose,  that  by  an  unknown  God, 
Jehovah,  or  the  true  God  was  intended  :  but  he  took  advantage  of 
this  singular  inscription  to  make  them  acquainted  with  the  nature  and 
attributes  of  the  Supreme  Being  ;  avoiding  the  offence  which  pro- 
fessedly preaching  to  them  a  new  god  might  produce.  He  would 
have  an  additional  motive  for  this  mode  of  address,  if  what  Jose- 
phus  asserts  be  true,  viz.  that  it  was  death  by  tlvi  Athenian  law  to 
propose  to  the  people  a  new  object  of  worship.  That  the  Athe- 
nians worshipped  some  deity  under  the  character  of  the  unknown 
God,  we  know  on  tlie  authority  of  heathen  writers,  whose  testi- 
mony in  this  instance,  as  well  as  in  many  others,  coincides  with, 
and  confirms  the  account  given  by  the  sacred  historian. 

24.  God  that  made  the  world,  and  all  tilings 
therein,  seeing  that  he  is  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth, 
dwelleth  not  in  temples  made  with  hands; 

2.5.  Neither  is  worshipped  with  men's  hands,  as 
though  he  needed  any  thing,  seeing  he  giveth  to  all, 
life,  and  breath,  and  all  things  : 

26.  And  hath  made  of  one  blood  ^^  one  nature,'''' 
all  nations  of  men  for  to  dwell  on  all  the  face  of  the 
earth,  and  hath  determined  the  times  before  appointed, 
and  the  bounds  of  their  habitation  ;  "  hath  determined 

"  Si-e  Pearrc,  \  Wakefield  and  Larduer.  Vol.  I.  p    191 


xvii.  16—34.)  ACTS.  18? 

the  times  and  bounds  of  their  habitation  ;"  i.  e.  where 
and  in  lohat  age  they  should  live. 

27.  That  they  should  seek  the  Lord,  if  haply, 
^^  if  possiblij,^^  they  might  feel  after  him,  and  find 
him,  though  he  be  not  far  from  every  one  of  us  : 

28.  For  in  him  we  live^  and  move,  and    have  our 

being,  as  certain  also  of  your  own  poets  have  said, 

'  For  we  are  also  his  offspring.' 

This  is  a  passage  from  Aratus,  a  poet  of  Cilicia,  Paul's  native 
country. 

29.  Forasmuch,  then,  as  we  are  the  offspring  of 
God,  we  ought  not  to  think,  that  the  Godhead  is  like 
unto  gold,  oi  silver,  or  stone,  graven  by  art  or  man's 
device,  as  mankind  had  long  tlwught. 

30.  And  the  times  of  this  ignorance  God  winked 
at,  '•  overlooked, ^^  i.  e.  made  no  extraordinary  exertions 

for  their  i7istruction,   but  now   commandeth  all   men 
every    where  to  repent,  i.  e.  to  forsake  their  idolatry. 

31.  Because  he  hath  appointed  a  day  in  the  which 
he  will  judge  the  world  in  righteousness,  by  that  man 
whom  he  hath  ordained  ;  whereof  he  hath  given 
assurance  unto  all  men,  in  that  he  hath  raised  him 
from  the  dead. 

This  was  a  proof  of  his  intentions  respecting  Jesus,  who  was  to 
be  the  judge,  and  likewise  respecting  those  who  were  to  be  judged, 
inasmuch  as  his  resurrection  was  a  proof  of  the  possibility  of  theirs. 
The  apostle  was  proceeding  to  say  more  on  the  subject  of  Jesus, 
and  the  Christian  religion ;  but  his  audience  would  hear  him  no 
longer. 

32.  And  when  they  heard  of  the  resurrection  of 
the  dead,  some  mocked,  "  began  to  laugh.'''' 

This  doctrine,  in  the  apprehension  of  some,  had  so  little  found- 
ation, that  it  was  a  subject  of  ridicule,  rather  than  of  serious 
refutation  by  argument. 

And  others  said.  We  will  bear  thee  again  of  this 
matter. 

33.  So  Paul  departed  from  among  them. 

34.  Nevertheless  certain  men  clave  unto  him,  and 
believed,  among  the  which  was  Dionysius  the  Areo- 


188  ACTS.  (xvii.  IG— 34. 

pagite,  and  a  -SYoman  named  Damaris,  and  others  with 
them. 

Dionysiiis  was  rulled  an  Areopagite,  because  he  was  one  of  the 
judges  of  the  court  holden  in  the  place  wlicie  they  were  now 
assembled,  and  must  have  been,  as  the  judges  were  in  general,  of 
a  very  respectable  character. 


REFLECTIONS. 

1.  In  the  conduct  of  Paul  at  Athens,  and  in  the  account  which 
the  historian  has  given  of  his  reception,  we  see  fresh  proofs  of  the 
truth  of  our  religion.  In  this  seat  of  learning  and  of  the  arts, 
where  the  human  mind  was  improved  to  the  highest  degree,  where 
lived  the  first  masters  of  philosophy  and  eloquence,  to  which 
foreigners  resorted  from  all  countries  for  instruction,  and  which  had 
conquered  the  world,  if  not  by  arms,  yet  by  tlie  more  powerful 
influence  of  manners  and  science — in  this  enlightened  and  illustri- 
ous city  the  apostle  is  not  ashamed  of  the  gospel  of  Christ ;  he 
ventures  to  pi  each  it  in  the  places  of  public  resort,  and  wherever 
he  can  find  an  audience;  he  has  the  resolution  to  defend  it  against 
the  attacks  of  the  ablest  reasoners  and  the  acutest  philosophers ; 
and  this  when  alone,  and  a  stranger,  unprotected,  unaccompanied 
by  a  single  individual.  What  confidence  in  the  truth  of  the  gospel ! 
AV'hat  zeal  for  communicating  its  discoveries  to  the  world  !  Surely 
such  confidence  and  such  zeal  must  have  some  solid  foundation, 
something  better  than  the  fictions  of  his  own  mind,  or  the  unau- 
thenticated  reports  of  other  persons. 

The  historian,  who  mentions  his  preaching  at  Athens,  does  not 
scruple,  we  see,  to  record  his  reception  there,  although  by  no 
means  the  most  favourable.  He  informs  us  that  this  distinguished 
advocate  of  Christianity  was  denominated  by  the  most  contempt- 
uous appellations  ;  that  the  principal  doctrine  which  he  professed 
to  teach  could  not  be  heard  without  laughter,  and  that  he  made  but 
few  proselytes  in  this  renowned  city.  How  confidently,  then, 
may  we  rely  upon  his  narrative,  when  he  relates  the  success  of  the 
gospel  in  other  places,  and  the  respect  paid  to  its  teachers. 

2.  We  learn  from  this  story  what  is  the  substance  of  the  gospel : 
not  such  doctrines  as  many  Christians  would  now  expect  to  find  : 
not  such  as  are  to  be  found  in  modern  creeds,  the  atonement  of 
Christ,  or  the  deity  of  his  person,  but  Jesus  and  the  resurrection; 
a  restoration  to  life  of  the  individual  who  has  died,  never  to  die 
any  more.  This  is  the  interesting  truth,  which,  next  to  the  divine 
mission  of  our  Master,  holds  (he  most  conspicuous  place  in  the 
Christian  revelation.  This  is  the  doctrine,  to  communicate  which, 
he  was  sent  into  the  world,  and  to  establish  which,  he  died,  and 
was  raised  again.  Let  this  doctrine,  Christians,  hold  the  first 
place  in  your  regards,  notwithstanding  the  ridicule  which  it  once 
received  from  the  philosophers  of  Athens,  and  the  oppositioa 
which  it  still  experiences  from  modern  unbelievers. 


xviii.  1—17.)  ACTS.  189 

3.  Let  us  often  read  and  carefully  fix  in  our  memories  the 
sublime  description  here  given  of  the  Supreme  Being.  It  is 
replete  with  interesting  truth  and  divine  consolation.  He  is  the 
great  Creator  of  the  universe,  the  impartial  leather  of  all  man- 
kind, their  present  Governor  and  Sovereign,  their  final  Judge,  the 
all-sufficient  and  omnipresent  Deity,  infinitely  superior  to  every 
thing  which  we  behold  or  can  conceive.  To  him  we  are  indebted 
for  all  that  we  possess  ;  to  him  we  are  accountable  for  all  that  we 
have  received,  for  all  that  we  do :  him,  therefore,  let  us  serve  with 
thankfulness  and  joy. 


SECTION  XXIX. 


Paul  leaves  Athens,  and  goes  to  Corinth.     He  is  brought  by  the 
Jews  before  Gallio,  the  lyro consul. 

■^  Acts  xviii.  1 — 17. 

1.  After  these  things  Paul  departed  from  Athens, 
and  came  to  Corinth : 

This  was  a  large  and  opulent  city  of  Greece,  which,  being  situa- 
ted on  a  narrow  neck  of  land  between  two  seas,  was  resorted  to, 
for  the  purposes  of  commerce  from  both  the  western  and  eastern 
parts  of  the  globe.  The  natural  consequences  of  extensive  trade 
and  manufactures,  were  luxwry  and  dissipation  of  manners,*  which 
soon  sunk  it  into  one  of  the  most  corrupt  and  effeminate  of  the 
states  of  Greece.  It  was  not  much  less  celebrated  for  philosophers 
and  orators  than  Athens  itself. 

2.  And  found  a  certain  Jew  named  Aquila,  born 
in  Pontus,  lately  come  from  Italy  with  his  wife  Pris- 
cilla,  (because  that  Claudius  had  commanded  all 
Jews  to  depart  from  Rome,)  and  came  unto  them. 

3.  And  because  he  was  of  the  same  craft,  "  of 
the  same  trade,^^  he  abode  with  them  and  wrought : 
(for  by  their  occupation  they  were  tent-makers.) 

This  is  the  first  time  that  Paul  was  introduced  to  these  persons, 
whose  names  are  mentioned  more  than  once  in  this  history,  and 
still  more  frequently  in  the  epistles.  They  were,  on  several 
occasions,  his  companions,  and  he  received  from  them  very  essen- 
tial services.  As  nothing  is  said  about  their  conversion,  it  is  pro- 
bable that  they  became  Christians  by  their  intercourse  with  him, 
and  that  it  was  for  this  reason,  as  well  as  because  they  pursued  the 

*  Travels  of  Auachar«is,  Vol.  III.  article  Corinth. 


190  ACTS.  (xviii.  1—17. 

same  occupation,  thai  he  immediately  joined  himself  to  them. 
Thougli  Jews  and  natives  of  Asia,  tlieir  names  are  of  Latin  origin. 

In  assiijjning  the  reason  of  tiieir  departure  from  Rome,  an  event 
is  referred  to  in  the  Ivoman  history,  by  means  of  which,  we  may, 
in  some  degree,  ascertain  tiie  trutli  and  accuracy  of  that  wliich  we 
are  reading:  for  we  are  told  that  Claudius,  the  Roman  emperor, 
had  commanded  all  the  Jews  to  depart  from  Rome.  The  same 
tiling  is  asserted  by  Suetonius,  a  Roman  historian,  who  lived  near 
tliat  time  ;  for  he  tells  us  that  the  emperor  Claudius  "expelled 
the  Jews  from  Rome,  who  were  continually  raising  disturbances, 
Chrestus  being  their  leader."  The  fact,  probably  was,  as  we  have 
seen  in  other  instances,  that  the  Jews,  alarmed  at  the  progress  of 
the  Christians,  endeavoured  to  excite  tumults  and  insurrections  at 
Rome,  and  that  the  emperor,  considering  Christians  as  only  a  sect 
of  the  Jews,  commanded  one  as  well  as  the  oilier  to  depart  from 
the  city.  Here  then,  we  see  the  testimony  of  a  heathen  writer 
coinciding  with,  and  confirming,  that  of  the  sacred  historian. 

It  has  ofren  been  observed,  that  it  was  almost  an  invariable  cus- 
tom with  Jewish  parents,  however  aflluent  their  circumstances,  to 
teach  their  cliildren  some  handicraft  business,  as  a  useful  resource 
for  maintenance  in  case  of  unavoidable  misfortunes  in  life.  Hence 
it  is,  that  we  find  Paul,  although  a  person  who  had  had  a  liberal 
education,  (for  he  was  brought  up  at  the  feet  of  Gamaliel,)  able  to 
employ  himself  in  the  ordinary  occupation  of  a  tent-maker.  The 
tents  which  he  and  his  companions  were  employed  in  making, 
were  composed  of  linen  or  skins,  and  used  as  a  summer  residence 
in  hot  climates,  by  travellers  upon  their  journeys,  where  no  other 
lodging  was  to  be  found,  and  by  soldiers  in  their  camps.  Paul  has 
often  asserted  his  right  to  maintenance  from  those  who  enjoyed  the 
benefit  of  his  labours  in  preaching  the  gospel ;  hut  for  prudential 
reasons  he  declined  enforcing  this  claim  at   Corinth   and  Ephesus. 

4.  And  he  reasoned  in  the  synagogue  every  sab- 
bath, and  persuaded  the  Jews  and  tlie  Greeks. 

5.  And  when  Silas  and  Timotheus  were  come 
from  Macedonia,  Paul  was  pressed  in  spirit,  '■Hcas 
closely  employed  in  the  ivord,''^  i.  e.  in  preaching  the 
gospel,  and  testified  to  the  Jews  that  Jesus  was 
Christ. 

This  alteration  in  the  translation  is  authorized  by  several  circum- 
stances, and  seems  consonant  to  the  design  of  the  writer,  who 
intended  to  mention  something  which  was  the  consequence  of 
Silas  and  Timothy  coming  to  Paul  ;  this  was  more  likely  to 
be,  that  he  was  to  labour  more  abundantly  in  the  work  of  preach- 
ing, together  with  them,  than  that  he  was  pressed  in  spirit  or  dis- 
couraged. But  the  more  the  zeal  and  earnestness  of  the  apostle 
increased,  tlie  more  violent  was  the  opposition  made  to  him,  and 
the  more  evident    did  the  temper  of  the  unbelieving  Jews  appear. 

6.  And   when  they  opposed  themselves  and  bhis- 


xviii.  1—17.)  ACTS.  191 

phemed,  i.  e.  reviled  Jesus  cmd  his  religion,  he  shook 
his  raiment,  i.  e.  his  loose  upper  garment ; 

He  thus  expressed  his  entire  renunciation  of  all  further  inter- 
course with  them;  as  if  he  had  said,  I  will  not  keep  any  thing  that 
belongs  to  you,  not  so  much  as  the  dust  which  adheres  to  my 
clothes.  Take  what  is  yours,  as  I  will  keep  what  is  mine.  Christ 
had  directed  his  disciples  to  shake  off  the  dust  from  their  feet  in 
like  circumstances,  which  meant  the  same  thing. 

And  said  unto  them.  Your  blood  be  upon  jour  own 
heads ;  I  am  clean  ;  henceforth  I  will  go  unto  the 
Gentiles  ;  "  your  blood  "  i.  e.  your  guilt,  "  is  upon 
your  oivn  heads. ^^ 

The  apostle  does  not  mean  to  express  an  imprecation,  but  his 
being  clean  from  whatever  guilt  or  whatever  evil  belonged  to  the 
rejection  of  the  gospel. 

7.  And  he  departed  thence,  and  entered  into  a 
certain  man's  house,  named  Justus,  one  that  worship- 
ped God,  a  proselyte  to  the  Jewish  religion,  whose 
house  joined  hard,  '-^  loas  near,^''  to  the  synagogue. 

He  left  the  house  of  Aquila,  who  was  a  Jew,  and  went  to  reside 
with  Justus,  either  because  his  house  was  more  convenient  for 
teaching,  or  because  he  wished  to  please  the  Gentiles  by  residing 
with  one  of  them.  The  apostle's  labours,  even  among  the  Jews, 
were  not  wholly  unsuccessful. 

8.  And  Crispus,  the  chief  ruler  of  the  synagogue, 
believed  on  the  Lord,  with  all  his  house  ;  and  many  of 
the  Corinthians,  hearing,  believed,  and  were  baptized. 

In  his  first  epistle  to  the  Corinthians,  Paul  tells  the  church 
that  he  baptized  none  other  among  them  that  Crispus  and  Gains ; 
but  how  Crispus  came  to  obtain  so  honourable  a  distinction  as  to  be 
baptized  by  the  apostle's  own  hand,  while  the  rest  did  not  enjoy 
that  honour,  the  epistle  does  not  inform  us ;  but  this  matter  is 
explained  by  the  history;  for  we  here  learn  that  he  was  ruler  of 
the  synagogue,  and,  therefore,  entitled  to  some  distinction  for  his 
rank,  as  well,  probably,  for  his  propert}"^  and  character.  This  is 
one  of  those  undesigned  coincidences  between  the  history  and  the 
epistle,  which  serve  to  confirm  the  authenticity  of  both.* 

Notwithstanding  the  number  of  converts  at  Corinth,  and  the 
respectable  character  of  some  of  them,  the  apostle's  prospects  here 
were  not  so  encouraging  as  to  induce  him  of  themselves  to  spend 
much  longer  time  in  that  city.  The  violent  temper  which  the 
Jews  had  just  discovered,  naturally  led  to  a  suspicion  that  they 
would  soon  have  recourse  to  the  same  measures  which  they  had 
succsssfully  employed  against  him  in  other  places.     The  supernat- 

*  Pale^^'s  Horte  Paulinae.  p.  89. 


192  ACTS.  (xviii.  1—17. 

Ural  communication  mentioned  in  the  next  verse  became  necessary, 
therefore,  to  inspire  liim  with  confidence,  and  in  induce  liini  to 
persevere  in  his  labours. 

9.  Then  spake  the  Lord,  i.  c.  probably  the  Lord 
Jesus,  to  Paul,  in  the  night,  by  a  vision,  probably  in 
a  dream,  Be  not  afraid,  but  speak,  and  hold  not  thy 
peace  : 

10.  For  I  am  with  thee,  and  no  man  shall  set  on 
thee  to  hurt  thee  ;  for  I  have  much  people  in  this  city. 

11.  And  he  continued  there  a  year  and  six  months, 
teaching  the  word  of  God  among  them. 

Luke  calls  the  gospel  of  Christ,  as  preached  by  the  apostle  Paul, 
the  word  of  God,  because  it  w<is  a  revelation  made  to  him  by  God  ; 
but  the  same  denomination  cannot  wtth  propriety  be  applied  to  a 
history  like  the  present,  which  contains,  indeed,  an  authentic,  but 
not  inspired,  account  of  the  reception  which  it  met  with  in  different 
places. 

It  was  during  the  apostle's  residence  at  Corinth  that  he  wrote 
his  first  and  second  epistle  to  the  Thessalonians  ;  a  church  which 
he  had  lately  established,  and  which  required  all  his  attention  and 
care. 

12.  And  when  Gallio  was  deputy,  in  the  original, 
''^ proconsul, "^"^  of  Achaia,  the  Jews  made  insurrection 
with  one  accord  against  Paul,  and  brought  him  to  the 
judgment-seat ; 

It  has  been  observed  that  this  province,  of  which  Corinth  was 
the  chief  town,  had  undergone  various  revolutions,  and  been  called 
by  different  names,  but  that  the  name  given  to  it  by  Luke,  is  wh.it 
belonged  to  it  at  tliis  period,  which  is  one  proof  among  many,  of 
the  care  and  accuracy  with  which  he  writes. 

13.  Saying,  This  fellow  persuadeth  men,  meaning 
Jews,  to  worship  God  contrary  to  the  law. 

14.  And  when  Paul  was  now  about  to  o[)en  his 
mouth,  Gallio  said  unto  the  Jews,  If  it  were  a  matter 
of  wrong  or  wicked  lewdness,  '•'•icicked  mischief ,''^  O 
ye  Jews,  reason  would  that  I  should  bear  with  you, 
i.  e.  it  would  be  reasonable  that  I  should  hear  you 
patiently. 

15.  But  if  it  be  a  question  of  words,  ^Uloctrines,'^'^ 
and  names,  i.  e.  whether  Jesus  ought  to  be  called 
Messiah  or  not,  and  of  your  law,  look  ye  to  it,  for  I 
will  be  no  judge  of  such  matter. 


xviii.  1—17.)  ACTS.  193 

16.  And  he   drove   them  from  the  judgment-seat. 

This  Gallic  was  brother  to  Seneca,  the  stoic  philosopher,  and  a 
man  of  a  remarkably  mild  and  amiable  disposition  ;  but  his  conduct 
on  the  present  occasion  in  protecting  Paul  from  the  violence  of  the 
Jews,  seems  to  have  been  directed  by  a  regard  to  the  Roman  law, 
wliich  forbade  their  magistrates  to  interfere  in  religious  disputes, 

17.  Then  a\\,  i.  e.  the  Jeivs,  took  Sosthenes  the 
chief  ruler  of  the  synagogue,  who  succeeded  Crispiis, 
and  seems  to  have  favoured  Paid,  and  beat  him  before 
the  judgment-seat,  and  Gallic  cared  for  none  of  these 
things. 

The  common  translation  reads  "then  all  the  Greeks  took  Sosthe- 
nes," &c.  but  the  word  Greeks  is  oniitted  in  some  manuscripts  and 
versions,  and,  theref(jre,  I  have  left  it  out,  as  it  appears  to  embarrass 
the  sense.  That  the  Jews  should  beat  one  of  their  own  countrymen, 
who  was  supposed  to  favour  the  Christians,  and  that  they  should  be 
permitted  to  do  it,  is  not  unlikely  ;  but  that  the  Greeks,  or  unbeliev- 
ing Gentiles  should  do  this,  and  be  suflercd  to  proceed  without  oppo- 
sition, is  highly  improbable. 


REFLECTIONS. 

1.  From  the  condition  of  the  apostle,  in  being  obliged  to  work 
with  his  own  hands  for  a  maintenance,  we  ma}'  derive  an  argument 
to  prove  the  sincerity  of  his  attachment  to  the  gospel.  He  has  not 
been  induced  to  support  it  by  interested  or  ambitious  prospects,  by 
the  hepe  of  gain  or  of  power  ;  for,  although  he  had  now  been  a 
preacher  of  this  doctrine  many  years,  we  find  him  neither  rich  nor 
at  ease,  but,  on  the  contrary,  so  poor  as  to  be  obliged  to  labour  for 
his  own  support.  Of  the  danger  and  trouble  to  which  he  was  expo- 
sed, we  have  had  repeated  proofs  in  the  course  of  this  history ;  yet 
his  zeal  is  unabated,  and  his  exertions  unrelaxed.  If  unsuccessful 
in  one  place,  he  renews  his  efforts  in  another.  Whence  could  this 
undaunted  zeal  and  persevering  fortitude  proceed,  but  from  an  over- 
powering conviction  of  the  truth  and  divine  origin  of  Christianity, 
and  from  a  persuasion  that  in  preaching  it  he  was  promoting  the  best 
interests  of  mankind  ?  The  motives  and  arguments  which  satisfied 
him,  ought  to  satisfy  us  also. 

2.  The  success  of  the  apostle  in  the  circumstances  above  des- 
cribed, ought  to  afford  us  the  like  satisfaction.  In  the  great  city  of 
Corinth,  a  city  distinguished  for  the  opulence  and  dissipation  of  its 
inhabitants,  abounding  also  in  philosophers  and  orators,  Paul  was 
honoured  with  great  success  in  preaching  the  gospel,  and  had  numer- 
ous converts;  notwithstanding  that  he  spent  the  greater  part  of  his 
time  in  providing,  by  the  labour  of  his  hands,  for  his  necessities,  and 
that  labour  not  of  the  most  honourable  kind  ;  not  in  casting  statues 

VOL.  III.  2    A 


194  ACTS.  (xvlii.  18—28. 

of  Corinthian  brass,  or  carving  idols  of"  wood  or  stone,  not  in  pour- 
tra}'ing  the  persons  or  the  actions  of  Grecian  gods  and  heroes,  but 
in  the  humble  occupation  of  tent-niakiug.  What  then  could  induce 
the  rich,  the  polished,  and  proud  Corinthians,  to  attend  the  instruc- 
tions and  to  receive  the  doctrine  of  this  vagabond  Jew,  who  was  a  tent- 
maker  ?  Not  the  choice  words,  the  (lowing  periods,  the  elegant  and 
animated  gestures  of  tbe  orator:  not  the  curious  speculations  of  a 
profound  philosophy;  for  to  these  the  apostle  made  no  pretensions; 
but  it  was  tbe  all-powerful  voice  of  truth,  the  irresistible  evidence  of 
miracles.  These  gave  dignity  to  the  mechanic,  and  enabled  him  to 
speak  with  the  voice  of  ifeaven.  Mis  speech  and  his  preaching,  as 
be  tells  these  Corinthians  in  his  first  epistle,  was  not  wiih  enticing 
words  of  man's  wisdom,  hut  in  demonstration  of  the  spirit  and  of 
power. 

3.  How  happy  would  it  have  been  for  the  world,  if  all  magis- 
trates had  acted  with  the  same  propriety  as  Gallio;  if  they  had 
considered  the  authority  with  which  they  are  invested,  as  given  them 
for  civil  purposes  only,  to  restrain  and  punish  vice  and  inimorality, 
and  not  to  direct  or  control  religious  opinion,  which  every  one  has 
a  right  to  form  for  himself,  in  the  best  manner  he  is  able!  Too  often 
have  those,  vvlio  have  beeu  placed  in  this  station,  pursued  an  oppo- 
site conduct ;  and,  by  making  themselves  parties  in  religious  disputes, 
by  lending  their  power  to  gratify  the  wicked  passions  of  men,  thinly 
covered  over  with  the  veil  of  religion,  filled  the  world  with  oppres- 
sion, outrage,  and  bloodshed. 


SECTION  XXX. 

Paul  goes  to  Jerusalem,   and  tlicnce  to  Antioch  and  Asia  Minor. 
Apollos  becomes  a  preacher  of  the  gospel. 

Acts  xviii.  18—28. 

18.  And  Paul,  after  this,  tarried  there  yet  a  good 
wliilo,  and  then  took  his  leave  of  the  brethren,  and 
sailed  thence  into  Syria,  and  with  him  Priscilla  and 
Aquila,  having  shorn  his  head  in  Cenchrea ;  for  he 
liad  a  vow. 

The  vow  here  referred  to  was  that  of  the  N.izarite,  which  consisted 
inabstainingfrom  wine,  and  in  letting  the  hair  grow  for  a  certain  season. 
Tiiis  seems  to  have  been  a  popular  practice  at  this  time  amongst  the 
Jews.  We  have  another  reference  to  the  same  vow  in  the  twenty- 
first  chapter  of  this  history,  where  the  apostle  is  advised  by  the 
brethren  to  be  at  charges  with  four  men  who  bad  a  vow,  that  they 
might  shave  their  heads.  The  occasion  of  the  apostle's  assuming 
this  vow  is  not  mentioned  ;  but,  as  he  had  spent  a  long  time  at 
Carinth  in  security,  though  violently  threatened   by  his  inveterate 


xviii.  18—28.)  ACTS.  195 

enemies  the  Jews,  it  is  not  improbable  that  it  might  bo  an  act  of 
thanksgiving  to  God  for  that  favour;  the  more  especially,  as  we 
know  that  it  was  usual  with  the  Jews  at  this  time,  when  afflicted 
with  any  distemper,  or  when  in  any  difficulties,  to  bind  themselves 
by  a  vow.  Wliatcver  might  be  the  occasion  of  the  vow,  it  seems 
that  he  thought  it  necessary  to  go  up  to  Jerusalem,  to  ofl'er  the  sacri- 
fices which  the  law  of  Moses  required,  in  order  that  it  might  be 
completed.  This  was  the  reason  of  his  present  journey ;  in  showing 
his  gratitude  in  the  observance  of  a  Jewish  custom,  he  might  intend 
to  conciliate  the  afl'ections,  or  remove  the  prejudices  of  his  country- 
men, who  were  very  violent  against  him.  Other  examples  of  a 
similar  conformity  to  the  law  of  Moses  we  read  of  in  different  parts 
of  this  history,  which  were  thought  proper  from  motives  of  prudence, 
as  long  as  the  Jewish  temple  and  service  were  in  being.  Some 
have,  indeed,  thought  that  not  Paul,  but  Aquila,  the  person  last 
named,  undertook  this  vow  ;  but  the  connexion  plainly  shows  that 
the  apostle  was  intended.  Cenchrea  was  the  port  of  Corinth  from 
which  he  sailed.  It  was  here  he  shaved  his  head,  and  his  vow 
commenced.* 

19.  And  he  cam€  to  Ephesiis,  and  left  them  there ; 
but  he  himself  entered  into  the  synagogue,  and  rea- 
soned with  the  Jews. 

20.  When  they  desired  him  to  tarry  longer  time 
with  tliem,  he  consented  not. 

21.  But  bade  them  farewell,  saying,  I  must  by  all 
means  keep  this  feast,  "  this  festival  .^'''^  that  cometh 
in  Jerusalem  ;  but  I  will  return  again  unto  you  if  God 
will :  and  he  sailed  from  Ephesus. 

The  festival  referred  to  is  the  passover:  as  Paul  did  not  spend 
every  passover  at  Jerusalem,  the  reason  of  his  being  so  anxious  to  be 
present  at  this  time,  must  have  been  the  fulfilment  of  his  vow,  for 
which  he  had  undertaken  this  journey.  He  preferred  the  time  of 
the  passover  for  the  purpose,  because  he  would  then  have  an  oppor- 
tunity of  meeting  many  of  his  brethren  from  the  country,  who 
assembled  at  Jerusalem  on  this  occasion,  as  well  as  of  observing  a 
festival  which  was  held  in  great  account  by  the  Sevf?..  He  promises 
to  return  to  Ephesus  if  he  had  an  opportunity:  accordingly,  we  find 
him  there  in  the  next  chapter. 

22.  And  when  he  had  landed  at  C'cEsarea,  and 
gone  up,  and  saluted  the  church,  he  went  down  to 
Antioch. 

The  historian  has  not  told  us  in  this  verse  what  Paul  did  at  Jeru- 
salem ;  nor  was  it  necessary  that  he  should ;  for  he  had  before  in- 
formed us  that  the  object  of  his  journey  was  to  fulfil  his  vow.  This 
feeing  accomplished,  he  returned   immediately  to   Antioch:  saluting 

"  Lardiier,  Vol.  I.  p.  208. 


196  ACTS.  (xvlii.  IS— 28. 

the  church  was  a  mere  act  of  civility,  which  could  not  induce  the 
apf'Stle  to  undertnke  so  lonj;  a  journey'.  Antiocli  wasa  city  of  Syria, 
wliere  we  leaiu  from  the  eleventh  chapter  that  Paul  and  Barnabas 
s|)ent  a  whole  year  in  preachinq;  the  gospel,  and  where  they  made 
numerous  converts.  The  object  of  his  visit  at  this  time  was  to 
strengthen  and  encourage  them. 

23.  And  after  he  had  spent  some  time  there,  he 
departed,  and  weiit  over  all  the  country  of  Galatia 
and  Phrygia  in  order,  strengthening  all  the  disciples. 

These  were  countries  lliroiigh  which  he  had  travelled  before  in 
his  way  to  Greece,  and  in  which  he  had  planted  many  churches:  his 
design  at  piesent  was  to  correct  any  errors  into  which  they  might 
have  fallen,  and  to  establish  the  faith  of  those  who  were  wavering. 

Here  the  historian  quits  the  apostle  for  a  short  time,  to  give  some 
account  of  A  polios,  a  person  of  some  distinction  in  the  church,  to 
whom  we  are  here  introduced  for  the  first  time. 

24.  And  a  certain  Jew  named  A  polios,  born  at 
Alexandria,  an  eloquent  man,  ^^  an  intelUge?it  man,^^ 
and  mighty  in  the  Scriptures,  came  to  Ephesus. 

A  polios  was  well  acquainted  with  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old 
Testament,  which  enabled  him  to  enforce  what  he  said  with  great 
power  or  energy.     The  Jews  were  very  numerous  at  Alexandria. 

25.  This  man  was  instructed  in  the  way  of  the 
Lord,  and  being  fervent  in  the  sj)irit,  "  of  a  zealous 
disposition,^^  he  spake  and  taught  diligently  the  things 
of  the  Lord,  knowing  only  the  baptism  of  John. 

The  way  of  the  Lord  seems  hero  to  mean  the  kingdom  of  the 
Messiah,  of  the  approach  of  which,  Apollos  had  been  informed  by 
the  preaching  of  John,  and  which  lie  now  zealously  announced  to 
his  countrymen,  supporting  his  doctrine  by  authorities  drawn  from 
the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  Testament,  in  which  the  Messiah  is  plainly 
predicted,  and  calling  upon  all  to  repent,  and  to  be  baptized  for  tiie 
remission  of  sins:  for  one,  therefore,  who  was  acquainted  with  the 
doctrine  of  John  only,  he  taught  the  doctrine  of  the  gospel  accurately  ; 
but  he  now  met  with  those  who  were  qualified  to  give  him  fuller  and 
more  correct  information  upon  this  subject. 

26.  And  he  began  to  speak  boldly  in  the  syna- 
gogue; whom,  when  Aquila  and  Priscilla  had  heard, 
they  took  him  unto  them,  and  expounded  unto  him 
the  way  of  God  more  perfectly. 

Observing  in  him  marks  of  an  ingenuous  mind,  from  his  readiness 
to  receive  the  truth,  and  his  zeal  in  communicating  it  to  others,  they 
desired  a  private  interview  with  him,  in  the  hope  of  inducing  him  to 
accept  better  information  upon  this  subject ;  and  in  this  hope  they 
were  not  disappointed. 


xviii.  18—29.)  ACTS.  197 

What  they  said  to  liim  we  are  not  informed;  but  it  may  be  easily 
conjectured  that  they  communicated  to  him  what  Christ  taught 
respecting  the  nature  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  the  various  events 
of  his  life,  and,  more  especially,  the  miracles  which  proved  him  to 
be  the  Messiah,  his  death  and  resurrection,  the  miraculous  powers 
which  were  now  bestowed  upon  those  who  believed,  and  the  important 
doctrine  for  which  Paul  was  such  an  intrepid  advocate  ;  that  Gentiles 
were  to  be  received  into  the  church,  upon  professing  faith  in  Christ, 
without  conforming  to  the  law  of  IVIoses.  Of  these  things  Apollos 
was  ignorant,  having  left  Judcea  immediately  after  the  preaching  of 
John,  and  having  heard  nothing  of  the  subsequent  events. 

27.  And  when  he  was  disposed  to  pass  into  Achaia, 
the  brethren  wrote,  exhorting  the  disciples  to  receive 
him  ;  who,  when  he  was  come,  helped  them  much 
which  had  believed  through  grace,  "  he  helped  the 
brethren  that  believed,  by  his  gift,^^  i.  e.  his  knoidedge 
of  the  Scriptures  before-mentioned. 

28.  For  he  mightily  convinced  the  Jews,  and  that 
publicly,  showing  by  the  Scriptures  that  Jesus  was 
Christ. 

By  his  superior  knowledge  of  the  Scriptures,  he  removed  the 
obstacles  arising  from  false  interpretations  of  them,  which  prevented 
the  Jews  from  receiving  Christ  as  the  Messiah,  and  confirmed  the 
faith  of  those  who  had  already  believed,  but  were  still  embarrassed 
by  some  of  the  objections  of  their  countrymen. 

This  visit  of  Apollos  to  Achaia  or  to  Corinth,  which  was  the 
capital  of  that  province,  is  noticed  in  the  first  epistle  to  the  Coiin- 
thians.     "I  have  also   planted,"  says  Paul;  "Apollos   watered."* 


REFLECTIONS. 


1.  Let  us  learn  from  the  example  of  the  apostle,  to  carry  on 
every  undertaking  with  a  sense  of  our  dependence  upon  Providence 
for  its  success.  When  intending  to  visit  his  friends  at  Ephesus,  to 
give  them  further  instruction  in  the  gospel  of  Christ,  he  says.  If  the 
Lord  will,  I  will  come  unto  you.  The  advice  which  the  apostle 
James  gives,  corresponds  with  the  language  of  this  great  apostle  of  the 
Gentiles  :  "  Go  to  now,  ye  that  say.  To-day  or  to  to-morrow  we  will 
go  into  such  a  city,  and  continue  there  a  year,  and  buy,  and  sell,  and 
get  gain  ;  whereas  ye  know  not  what  shall  be  on  the  morrow  ;  for 
what  is  your  life  ?  It  is  even  a  vapour  that  appeareth  for  a  little 
time  and  then  vanisheth  away ;  for  that  ye  ought  to  say,  If  the 
Lord  will,  we  shall  live  and  do  this  or  that."  In  pursuing  schemes 
of  business  or  of  pleasure,  or  of  doing  good  to  mankind,  remember 

*  1  Cor.  iii.  6. 


198  ACTS,  (xxi.  1—20. 

then,  the  uncertainty  uf  human  life,  and  the  various  obstacles  which 
Heaven  may  interpose  to  the  execution  of  your  designs  ;  not  indeed 
by  changing  the  course  of  nature,  but  by  pursuing  plans  which  are 
inconsistent  with  yours  ;  and  prepare  yourselves  for  the  disap- 
pointments which  may  arise  from  any  of  these  sources. 

2.  The  conduct  of  Prisciila  and  Aquila,  in  giving,  and  of 
ApoUos  in  receiving,  instruction,  is  highly  worthy  of  commendation. 
He  knew  the  way  of  the  Lord  in  some  degree,  but  he  did  not  know 
It  perfectly,  and  he  is  willing  to  receive  further  information  upon 
the  subject,  although  that  information  comes  from  private  persons, 
and  in  an  ordinary  situation  of  life.  Christians  of  the  present  day 
are  often  in  a  like  situation,  and  happy  would  it  be  for  them,  if  they 
were  disposed  to  act  in  the  same  manner.  There  are  many  over 
whose  heads  not  a  few  years  have  passed,  who  are  far  from  having 
been  inattentive  to  religion,  who  yet,  from  the  influence  of  education, 
or  want  of  opportunity  for  inquiry,  know  the  way  of  (iod  but  im- 
perfectly. There  are  many  who  possess  much  learning  on  other 
subjects,  yet  remain  ignorant  of  the  pure  and  simple  doctrine  of  the 
gospel.  Let  not  such  persons  be  displeased  or  offended,  if  their 
inferiors  in  age  and  acquirements  attempt  to  give  them  instruction. 
It  is  not  presumption  or  arrogance,  but  proceeds  from  a  desire  of 
promoting  your  welfare,  which  is  intimately  connected  with  a  more 
comprehensive  acquaintance  with  the  truth.  They  impute  not  guilt, 
nor  charge  you  with  any  crime  :  they  only  suppose,  that  you  may 
be  mistaken,  where  you  have  inquired,  or  ignorant,  where  you  have 
not  been  favoured  with  opportunities  of  knowing  better;  disadvan- 
tages to  which  wise  and  excellent  persons  may  be  liable.  They 
only  suppose  that  you  are  willing  to  become  wiser  and  better  in- 
formed, which  is  a  tribute  to  the  excellence  of  your  disposition,  if 
not  to  your  knowledge.  Treat  not  with  disdain,  persons  who  come 
to  you  in  this  character;  attend  to  what  they  offer,  and  receive  their 
instructions  with  a  desire  to  be  better  informed,  wherever  there 
may  be  occasion. 


SECTION  XXXI. 


Paul  returns  to  Ephesus  and  remains  there  two  years.      The  prac- 
titioners of  magic  are  persuaded  to  renounce  their  art. 


Acts  xix.  1—20. 


1.  And  it  came  to  pass,  that  while  Apollos  was  at 
Corinth,  Paul,  having  passed  through  the  upper  coasts, 
"  the  upper  part,^^  of  tlie  country,  i.  e.  Phnjgia  and 
Galatia  as  mentioned  in  the  last  chapter,  came  to 
Ephesus,  agreeably  to  his  promise,  Acts  xviii.  21,  and 
finding  certain  discijiles, 


xxi.  1—20,)  ACTS.  199 

2.  He  said  unto  them,  Have  ye  received  the  Holy 
Spirit  since  ye  believed  ?  "  Did  ye  receive  the  Holy 
Spirit  ivhen  ye  believed  V* 

This  question  be  asked,  because  he  had  not  observed  among  them 
those  miraculous  powers  which  he  had  seen  in  other  churches. 

And  they  said  unto  him,  We  have  not  so  much  as 
heard  whether  there  be  any  Holy  Spirit. 

We  have  not  so  much  as  hoard  whether  there  be  those  miraculous 
powers  which  are  denominated  the  Ilolv  Spirit,  of  which  we  may 
partake.  To  account  for  (heir  ignorance  on  tiiis  subject,  it  must  be 
supposed,  either  that  these  Jews  left  Judaea  immediately  after  the 
preaching  of  John,  and  before  Jesus  had  manifested  the  extraordinary 
powers  with  which  he  was  endowed,  or  before  they  had  been  com- 
municated to  his  followers;  or  that  they  were  proselytes  to  A  polios, 
who,  we  are  told,  knew  only  the  baptism  of  Joini.  On  either  of 
these  suppositions,  their  ignorance  is  easily  accounted  for. 

It  is  plain  from  this  answer,  that  by  the  term,  Holy  Spirit,  we  are 
not  to  understand  a  being ;  for  had  there  been  such  a  being,  these 
Jews  must  have  heard  of  his  existence  ;  but  miiaculous  powers,  such 
as  the  power  of  healing  distempers,  the  gifts  nf  tongues,  and  of 
knowledge.  These  gifts,  which  constituted  the  Holy  Spirit,  these 
disciples  had  not  yet  received,  nor  even  heard  of;  but  as  soon  as 
they  received  the  Holy  Spirit,  by  the  laying  on  of  the  hands  of 
Paul,  as  we  read  in  the  sixth  verse  of  this  chapter,  they  spake  with 
tongues,  and  prophesied.* 

3.  And  he  said  unto  them,  Unto  what  then  were 
ye  baptized  .^ 

Had  they  been  baptized  in  the  name  of  Jesus,  they  must  necessari- 
ly have  heard  of  those  miraculous  powers  with  which  he  was  en- 
dowed, and  which  he  likewise  communicated  to  his  followers;  but 
their  ignorance  on  this  subject  led  the  apostle  to  suppose,  that  they 
were  not  Christians,  and  their  answer  confirmed  his  apprehensions. 

And  they  said,  Unto  John's  baptism. 

4.  Then  said  Paul,  John  verily  baptized  with  the 
baptism  of  repentance,  saying  unto  the  people,  that 
they  should  believe  on  him  who  should  come  after 
him,  that  is,  on  Christ  Jesus,  "  on  Jesus^^"*  as  it  is 
found  in  some  copies  and  versions.f 

John  the  Baptist  called  upon  the  people  to  repent,  and  to  prepare 
themselves  for  the  kingdom  of  Heaven,  which  he  declared  to  be  at 
hand,  and  which  was  to  be  introduced  by  a  prophet  far  superior  to 
himself.  He  referred  the  people  to  Jesus,  as  a  superior  prophet  ; 
but  he  seemed  to  be  doubtful  whether  he  were  the  Messiah,  To 
believe  in  John,  therefore,  and  to  be  baptized  by  him,  did  not  con- 

*  Lardner,  Vol.  XH.  pp.  154,  1G5.  t  See  Griesbach. 


200  ACTS.  (xix.  1—20. 

stitute  men  Christians  ;  but  it  was  necessary  that  such  believers 
should  profess  I'aith  in  Jesus  as  the  Messiah,  and  undergo  the  cere- 
mony of  baptism  a  second  time,  in  order  to  be  entitled  to  that 
honour.     To  this  the  apostle's  present  audience  are  willing  to  submit. 

5.  Wlittn  they  heard  that,  they  were  baptized  in 
the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 

By  submitting  to  this  ceremony,  they  acknowledged  their  faith  in 
Jesus  as  a  divine  messenger,  and  the  promised  Messiah;  for  it  was 
in  the  character  of  a  divine  messenger,  that  ho  instituted  this  rite; 
they  acknowledged,  likewise,  that  they  were  brought  from  a  less 
pure,  to  a  more  perfect  dispensation  of  religion.  When  Jesus  sent 
out  his  apostles  to  preach  the  gospel,  his  command  was,  "Go,  and 
disciple  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and 
of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;"  but  these  words  seem  to  have 
been  intended  as  a  summary  of  Christian  faith,  rather  than  as  a  for- 
mulary to  be  used  whenever  the  ordinance  was  administered  ;  for 
we  never  find  it  so  employed  in  any  of  the  instances  of  baptism 
which  are  mentioned  in  the  book  of  Acts.  On  these  occasions,  we 
see,  that  the  believers  were  baptized,  as  in  this  verse,  into  the  name 
of  Jesus,  or  with  words  of  a  like  import.  These  words,  therefore, 
ought  to  be  deemed  sufficient  in  the  administration  of  this  ordinance 
at  the  present  day. 

6.  And  when  Paul  had  laid  his  hands  on  them, 
the  Holy  Spirit  came  on  them,  and  they  spake  with 
tongues,  and  prophesied,  "  taught^ 

To  prophesy,  here  signifies  teaching  the  Christian  doctrine.  This 
is  what  these  disciples  appear  to  have  done.  Being  favoured  with 
the  gift  of  speaking  different  tongues,  which  they  had  never  learnt, 
they  employ  it  in  teaching  the  Christian  religion,  like  those  who 
were  thus  favoured  on  the  day  of  Pentecost. 

7.  And  all  the  men  were  about  twelve. 

8.  And  he  went  into  the  synaj^ogue,  and  spake 
boldly  for  the  space  of  three  months,  disputing  and 
persuading  the  things  concerning  the  kingdom  of  God. 

9.  And  when  divers  were  hardened,  "  continued 
hardened,^^  and  believed  not,  but  spake  evil  of  that 
way  before  the  multitude,  he  departed  from  them,  and 
separated  the  disciples,  disputing  daily  in  the  school 
of  one  Tyrannus, 

From  the  name  of  this  person,  which  is  Greek,  and  from  his 
having  a  school,  it  has  been  supposed  that  he  was  a  Greek  rhetori- 
cian, who  delivered  lectures  to  his  followers  for  hire.  To  this  place 
Paul  resorted  when  he  found  the  Jews  obstinate,  and  went  no  more 
to  the  synagogue,  turning,  as  he  had  done  before,  to  the  Gentiles. 
He  separated  the  disciples  aUo  from  the  Jews,  because  their  continu- 
ance with  men  of  such  a  turbulent  disposition  was  not  safe,  or  because 


XIX.  1—20.)  ACTS.  201 

he  did  not  wish  them  to  associate  with  men  who  were  doomed  for 
their  obstinacy  in  error,  to  so  many  calamities. 

10.  And  this  continued  by  the  space  of  two  years, 
so  that  all  they  which  dwelt  in  Asia,  heard  the  word 
of  the  Lord  Jesus,  both  Jews  and  Greeks. 

By  Asia  is  meant  proconsular  Asia,  where  Paul  was  forbidden 
to  preach  on  his  first  journey.  All  the  neighbouring  inhabitants 
came  to  Ephesus,  which  was  a  principal  city  in  this  part  of  the 
country,  either  for  business  or  pleasure,  and,  therefore,  had  an 
opportunity  of  hearing  Paul  preach. 

11.  And  God  wrought  special  miracles  by  the 
hands  of  Paul : 

12.  So  that  from  his  body  were  brought  unto  the 
sick,  handkerchiefs  or  aprons,  and  the  diseases  depart- 
ed from  them,  and  the  evil  spirits  went  out  of  them. 

A  miracle  of  a  similar  nature  was  performed  by  Christ,  when 
he  healed  a  woman  who  only  touched  the  hem  of  his  garment. 
In  both  cases  the  faith  of  the  person  benefitted,  if  in  his  sound 
mind  and  capable  of  exercising  faith,  was  directed  to  the  power 
of  God,  and  not  to  any  virtue  in  the  things  applied.  The  expul- 
sion of  the  evil  spirits,  or  the  curing  of  madness  and  epilepsy,  is 
mentioned  separately,  because  the  cure  of  these  disorders  was 
thought  peculiarly  difficult. 

13.  Then  certain  of  the  vagabond  Jews,  exorcists, 

took  upon  them    to    call  over   them    which   had   evil 

spirits,  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  saying.  We  adjure 

you  by  Jesus  whom  Paul  preacheth. 

Exorcists  pretended  to  expel  evil  spirits  from  those  who  were 
supposed  to  be  possessed,  by  adjuring  them  in  the  name  of  God  to 
depart  from  them.  That  this  was  practised  among  the  Jews,  we 
learn  ,  from  the  history  of  the  evangelists,  where  we  hear  Jesus 
saying,  in  answer  to  an  objection  made  to  him  by  the  Pharisees, 
"If  I  by  Beelzebub,  cast  out  dsemons,  by  whom  do  your  children, 
i.  e.  your  disciples,  cast  them  out?  wherefore  they  shall  be  your 
judges."  That  they  did  not  succeed  in  these  attempts  is  certain, 
although  they  might  sometimes  persuade  the  deluded  multitude  to 
believe  that  they  did.  Several  of  the  Jewish  exorcists  travelled 
about  the  country,  exercising  their  pretended  art;  and  some  of 
them,  seeing  diemoniacs  suddenly  cured  by  Paul's  calling  over 
them  the  name  of  Jesus,  imagined  that  by  using  the  same  name 
they  should  be  alike  successful :  but  they  were  miserably  disap- 
pointed. 

14.  And  there  were  Seven  sons  of  one  Sceva,  a 
Jew,  and  chief  of  the  priests,  which  did  so. 

VOL.    HI.  2    B 


202  ACTS.  (xix.  1—20. 

15.  And  the  evil  spirit  answered,  and  said,  Jesus 
I  know,  and  Paul  I  know  ;  but  who  are  ye  ? 

16.  And  the  man  in  whom  the  evil  spirit  was, 
leaped  on  them,  and  overcame  them,  and  prevailed 
against  them,  so  that  they  fled  out  of  that  house  naked 
and  wounded. 

The  historian  attributes  that  to  the  evil  spirit  wliich  was,  in 
reality,  spoken  and  done  by  the  mad  man,  who  supposing  himself 
to  be  an  evil  spirit,  or  possessed  by  one,  addresses  tlie  exorcists  in 
that  character.  As  Paul  had  spent  two  whole  years  at  Ephesus, 
and  in  that  time  ejected  many  d;rmons  in  the  name  of  Jesus,  we 
are  not  to  be  surprised  that  this  da^moniac  should  be  well  acquaint- 
ed with  the  names  of  Paul  and  Jesus.  The  extraordinary  strength 
which  he  discovered  in  overcoming  and  driving  away  the  exorcists, 
who  were  unattended,  and  did  not  expect  resistance,  is  nothing 
more  than  what  is  common  to  persons  afflicted  with  this  unhappy 
disorder. 

The  disappointment  and  disgrace  of  these  men  served  to  vindi- 
cate the  miracles  of  Paul  from  all  suspicion  of  imposture;  to 
create  a  high  reverence  for  Jesus,  in  confirmation  of  whose  divine 
authority  they  were  wrought,  and  to  prevent  the  name  of  Jesus 
from  being  any  more  used  as  a  charm.* 

17.  And  this   was    known  to  all  the   Jews  and 
Greeks   also  dwelling   at  Ephesus,  and  fear  fell  on 
them  all,  and  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus   was  mag 
nified. 

18.  And  many  that  believed,  came  and  confessed, 
and  showed  their  deeds,  "  their  practices.''^ 

19.  Many  also  of  them  which  used  curious  arts, 
^^  magic  aris,^^  brought  their  books  together,  and  burnt 
them  before  all  men  ;  and  they  counted  the  price  of 
them,  and  found  it  to  be  fifty  thousand  pieces  of 
silver. t 

20.  So  mightily  grew  the  word  of  God  and  pre- 
vailed. 


REFLECTIONS. 


1.  OnsEnvE,  first,  how  indefatigable  is  Paul  in  preaching  the 
gospel.  lie  travels  from  country  to  country,  by  land  or  by  water, 
to  communicate    the    important   intelligence.     From  Ephesus  he 

•  Facmer  on  Dspmoniacs,  p.  27G.  t  About  £1600. 


xix.  1—20.)  ACTS.  203 

goes  to  Jerusalem,  from  Jerusalem  to  Ephesus  again.  Wherever 
he  goes  he  plants  churches  of  Christians,  and  visits  them  repeated- 
ly, to  confirm  and  establish  their  faith.  At  some  places  he  spends 
only  a  few  days  or  weeks,  but  those  days  are  well  employed;  if 
he  continue  a  longer  time,  it  is  not  wasted  in  sluggish  ease,  but 
wholly  occupied  in  the  same  work.  In  the  synagogue  of  the  Jews 
he  preaches  every  sabbath-day,  while  the  synagogue  is  open  to 
him,  and  there  is  any  prospect  of  success ;  and  when  compelled  to 
depart  thence,  he  will  preach  every  day  in  the  week  to  the  Gentiles. 
To  him  every  day  is  a  sabbath,  and  every  place  sanctified,  whether 
it  be  the  forum  at  Athens,  the  synagogue  of  the  Jews,  or  the 
school  of  Tyrannus.  How  warm  the  zeal  which  produced  such 
incessant  efturts  I  IIow  important  the  doctrine  from  which  it  origi- 
nated !  The  consequence  was,  as  might  be  expected,  that  the  word 
of  God  mightily  grew  and  prevailed. 

2.  Observe  how  inconsistent  with  the  spirit  of  the  gospel,  are 
all  the  arts  of  magic  and  every  species  of  imposture.  One  of  the  first 
duties  which  the  gospel  inculcates  is  truth  in  our  v/ords  and  sin- 
cerity in  our  actions ;  the  most  illustrious  example  which  it  holds 
out  to  our  view,  is  that  of  inviolable  attachment  to  the  truth,  and 
an  utter  abhorrence  of  all  falsehood  and  disguise;  but  magical 
arts  consist  of  fair  pretences  to  bestow  benefits  which  can  never 
be  conferred ;  of  contrivances  to  enrich  the  possessor  at  the 
expense  of  the  ignorant  and  credulous  multitude ;  with  such  arts 
Christianity  can  hold  no  communion.  No  sooner,  therefore,  do 
men  believe  the  gospel,  than  they  renounce  this  profession,  and 
disclose  the  evil  practices  by  which  they  had  imposed  upon  the 
world  and  carried  on  a  gainful  trade  ;  and  that  they  might  not  be 
tempted  to  renew  their  evil  deeds,  or  expose  others  to  a  like  temp- 
tation, they  commit  to  the  flames  the  books  which  contained  the 
principles  and  rules  of  their  art;  thus  making  a  noble  sacrifice  to 
truth  and  integrity.  This  was  the  conduct  of  the  first  Christians  ; 
but  I  am  sorry  to  add  that  many,  who  have  pretended  to  that  hon- 
ourable name  in  modern  times,  have  not  shown  a  like  temper; 
they  have  renewed  these  exploded  practices,  and  attempted  to 
conceal  the  fraud  by  sanctimonious  pretences  to  religion :  but  let 
them  know  that  the  gospel  of  Christ  disdains  to  acknowledge  such 
disciples,  and  that  it  requires  no  further  proof  of  their  being 
ignorant  of  its  nature  and  entirely  hostile  to  its  principles. 


504  ACTS.  (xix.  21— 41. 


SECTION  xxxir. 

A  tumult  is  excited  at  Ephcsus  hy  the  workmen  who  make  models 
of  the  temple  Diana. 

Acts  xix.  21 — 11. 

21.  After  these  things  we  ?  ended,  Paul  purposed 
in  the  spirit,  "  resolved  in  his  mind,^^  when  he  had 
passed  through  Macedonia  and  Achaia,  where  he  had 
planted  considerable  churches,  to  go  to  Jerusalem, 
saying,  After  I  have  been  there,  I  must  also  see  Rome. 

To  the  latter  place  he  intended  to  go  to  preach  the  gospel,  but 
he  was  brought  thither  in  a  manner  which  he  little  expected. 

22.  So  he  sent  into  Macedonia  two  of  them  that 

ministered  unto  him,  Timotheus  and  Erastus  ;  but  he 

himself  stayed  in  Asia  for  a  season. 

The  object  of  Paul's  intended  journey  into  Greece,  was  to  make 
a  collection  for  the  poor  Christians  at  Jerusalem,  or  rather  in 
Judpea,  and  these  persons  were  sent  by  him,  that  the  collection 
might  be  ready  when  he  came.  Timothy  was  peculiarly  proper 
for  this  errand,  because  he  had  accomj)anied  the  apostle  when  he 
planted  these  churches.     Erastus  was  chamberlain  of  Corinth.* 

23.  And  the  same  time  there  arose  no  small  stir, 
*^  no  small  disturbance, '^'^  about  that  way,  ^' that  doc- 
trine.'^'' 

24.  For  a  certain  man  named  Demetrius,  a  silver- 
smith, which  made  silver  shrines  for  Diana,  "  models 
in  silver  of  the  temple  of  Diana,^^  brought  no  small 
gain  unto  the  craftsmen,  "  to  the  ivorkmen.^^ 

25.  Whom  he  called  together  with  the  workmen 
of  like  occupation,  ^^  luith  all  employed  in  the  busi- 
ness,^^  and  said,  Sirs,  ye  know  that  by  this  craft  we 
have  our  wealth. 

26.  Moreover,  ye  see  and  hear  that  not  alone  at 
Ephesus,  but  almost  throughout  all  Asia,  this  Paul 
hath  persuaded  and  turned  away  much  j)eople,  saying, 
that  they  be  no  gods  which  are  made  with  hands  : 

•  Doddridge. 


xix.  21— 41.  ACTS.  205 

27.  So  that  not  only  this  our  craft  is  in  danger  to 
be  set  at  nought,  or,  "  of  being  abandoned j^''  but  also 
that  the  temple  of  the  great  goddess  Diana  should  be 
despised,  and  her  magnificence  should  be  destroyed, 
whom  all  Asia  and  the  world  worshippeth,  "  reveren- 
ceth.''^ 

23.  And  when  they  heard  these  sayings,  they 
were  full  of  wrath,  and  cried  out,  saying.  Great  is 
Diana  of  the  Ephesians. 

It  will  give  us  some  idea  of  the  grandeur  and  magnificence  of 
this  temple,  when  we  are  told  that  it  was  two  hundred  and  twenty 
years  in  building,  that  it  was  erected  at  the  common  charge  of  all 
Proconsular  Asia,  and  that  when  Erostatus  was  condemned  to 
death  for  setting  it  on  fire,  he  acknowledged  that  he  did  it  to  per- 
petuate his  memory  by  destroying  so  magnificent  an  edifice. 
Small  models  of  this  temple,  made  of  silver,  were,  it  seems  in 
great  request,  and  purchased  as  objects  of  curiosity  and  devotion. 
The  manufacture  of  them  afforded  a  lucrative  employment  to 
Demetrius  and  a  number  of  other  persons.  The  decline  of  their 
employment,  in  consequence  of  the  apostle's  preaching,  is  a  proof 
of  the  prevalence  of  Christianity.  Diana  was  not  only  the  goddess 
of  hunting  amongst  the  heathens,  but  was  known  also  under 
several  other  characters  and  titles. 

29.  And  the  whole  city  was  filled  with  confusion, 
and  having  caught  Gains  and  Aristarchus,  men  of 
Macedonia,  Paul's  companions  in  travel,  they  rushed 
with  one  accord  into  the  theatre. 

The  theatre  was  a  large  building,  erected  in  the  open  air,  with- 
out any  covering,  for  the  exhibition  of  public  games,  and  so  large 
as  to  contain  frequently  thirty  thousand  persons.  This  building, 
when  not  so  employed,  might  be  used  for  other  purposes,  as  on 
the  present  occasion.  Aristarchus,  who  is  here  called  the  fellow- 
traveller  of  Paul,  we  find,  was  afterwards  his  fellow-prisoner, 
Col.  iv.  10.  The  design  of  forcing  these  men  into  the  theatre 
was  probably  to  try  them.  Paul,  hearing  of  the  danger  of  his 
friends,  wished  to  employ  his  influence  to  rescue  them,  but  is  dis- 
couraged from  the  attempt  by  the  prudence  of  the  disciples. 

30.  And  w^hen  Paul  would  have  entered  in  unto 
the  people,  the  disciples  suffered  him  not. 

31.  And  certain  of  the  chief  of  Asia,  who  were 
his  friends,  sent  unto  him,  desiring  that  he  would  not 
adventure  himself  into  the  theatre. 

These  chiefs  of  Asia  are  supposed  to  be  magistrates  of  that 
country,  as  the  Greek  term  seems  to  imply,  who  might  have  the 
further  office  of  presiding  over  the  games  celebrated  in  honour   of 


200  ACTS.  (xix.  21— 41. 

Diana.  Being  acquainted  with  Paul,  and  perhaps  converts  to  the 
Cliristian  religion,  they  are  anxious  to  preserve  him  from  the 
danger  to  which  he  would  be  exposed,  by  trusting  himself  to  such 
a  tumultuous  assembly. 

32.  Some,  therefore,  cried  one  thing,  and  some 
another ;  for  tlie  assembly  was  confused,  and  the 
greater  part  knew  not  wherefore  they  were  come 
together. 

33.  And  they  drew  Alexander  out  of  the  multi- 
tude, the  Jews  putting  him  forward  :  and  Alexander 
beckoned  w  ith  the  hand,  "  waved  his  hand,  to  obtain 
silence,^^  and  would  have  made  his  defence  unto  the 
people,  ^^for  the  peopled 

As  he  is  said  to  have  been  a  Jew,  his  object  must  have  been  to 
defend  not  the  conduct  of  Paul,  (to  whom  a  Jew  could  be  no 
friend,)  but  the  zeal  of  the  people,  in  assembling  in  this  tumultu- 
ous manner,  and  to  show  that  Paul  excited  disturbances  wherever 
he  went,  and  that  they  had  no  connexion  with  him,  and  ought  not, 
therefore,  to  be  thought  ill  of  on  his  account. 

34.  But  when  they  knew  that  he  was  a  Jew,  andy 
therefore,  an  enemy  of  their  goddess  as  well  as  Paul, 
all,  with  one  voice,  about  the  space  of  two  hours, 
cried  out,  Great  is  Diana  of  the  Ephesians. 

35.  And  when  the  town-clerk,  ^^  recorder,''''  had 
appeased  the  peoj)le,  he  said.  Ye  men  of  Ephesus, 
what  man  is  there  that  knoweth  not  how  that  the 
city  of  the  Ephesians  is  a  worshipper,  "rt  guardian,'''^ 
of  the  great  goddess  Diana,  and  of  the  image  which 
fell  down  from  Jupiter  ? 

This  was  the  story  forged  by  the  Ephesian  priests  ;  a  similar 
one  had  been  framed  respecting  the  Palladium,  or  image  of 
Minerva. 

3Q.  Seeing  then  that  these  things  cannot  be 
spoken  against,  ye  ought  to  be  quiet,  and  to  do  noth- 
ing rashly. 

37.     For  ye  have  brought  hither   those  men,   who 

are   neither    robbers    of  churches,  "  of  temples,''''  nor 

yet  blasphemers  of  your  goddess. 

It  seems  he  did  not  think  the  charge  brought  by  Demetrius 
against  Paul,  as  asserting  that  those  were  no  gods  which  were 
made  with  hands,  a  reflection  upon  Diana,  because  her  image  was 


xix.  21— 41.)  ACTS.  207 

supposed  to  come  down  from  heaven,  and,  therefore,  could  not  be 
made  with  hands. 

38.  Wherefore,  if  Demetrius  and  the  craftsmen 
who  are  with  him  have  a  matter  against  any  man,  the 
law  is  open,  "  court  days  are  kept,''''  and  there  are 
deputies,  "  Roman  proconsuls,''''  who  are  judges,  let 
them  implead  one  another,  "  accuse  one  another.'''' 

39.  But  if  ye  inquire  any  thing  concerning  other 
matters,  if  it  he  a  question  relating  to  the  public  reli- 
gion, and  not  of  a  civil  nature,  it  shall  be  determined 
in  a  lawful  assembly  : 

40.  For  we  are  in  danger  to  be  called  in  question 
for  this  day's  uproar,  "  this  daifs  rising^  there  being 
no  cause  whereby  we  may  give  an  account  of  this 
concourse. 

41.  And  when  he  had  thus  spoken,  he  dismissed 
the  assembly. 


REFLECTIONS. 


1.  We  have  here  a  memorable  and  instructive  example  of  a 
pretended  zeal  for  religion  being  employed  to  conceal  selfish  fears, 
and  to  advance  private  interests.  The  cry  of  Demetrius  and  his 
companions  was,  'Great  is  Diana  of  the  Ephesians ;  her  temple 
will  be  despised;  her  magnificence  will  be  destroyed:'  thus  pre- 
tending to  be  concerned  for  the  honour  of  their  goddess,  and 
alarmed  for  the  security  of  her  worship.  But  the  real  motive  for 
their  clamour  is  a  fear  of  losing  their  usual  profits,  "this,  our 
craft,  by  which  we  get  our  wealth,  is  in  danger  of  being  set  at 
naught."  Since  the  time  of  Demetrius  a  like  clamour  has  often 
been  raised,  and  from  similar  motives.  The  supporters  of  national 
superstition,  when  alarmed  at  the  progress  of  truth  and  liberty, 
have  cried  out,  The  church  is  in  danger,  religion  will  be  trampled 
under  foot ;  when  they  only  mean  that  the  profits  of  their  profes- 
sion are  likely  to  fall,  the  splendour  of  their  equipage,  the  luxuries 
of  their  tables,  the  revenues  by  which  they  were  fed  and  clothed. 
Politicians  and  statesmen  have  likewise  exclaimed.  Religion  and 
morality  are  in  danger;  let  the  friends  of  both  unite  for  their 
defence,  when  religion  and  morality  were  no  part  of  their  concern, 
when  they  were  violating  every  principle  of  both,  in  pursuit  of 
some  ambitious  project,  and  have  put  this  cry  into  the  mouths  of 
the  ignorant  multitude,  in  order  to  conceal  their  evil  designs.  Let 
not  the  world  any  longer  be  deceived  by  such  gross  artifices;  they 
have  been  practised  and  exposed  two  thousand  years  ago. 


203  ACTS.  (xx.  1— Gl. 

2.  The  good  sense  wliicli  appears  in  tlie  observations  of  the 
town-clerk  or  recorder  of  Ephesus,  may  serve  to  quiet  the  fears  of 
those  who  are  really  alarmed  about  the  security  of  their  religion. 
If  it  be  of  divine  origin,  as  you  profess  to  believe,  it  cannot  be 
overturned  or  destroyed  :  it  is  founded  upon  a  rock,  and  the  gates 
of  hell  shall  not  prevail  against  it.  Adopt  not  rash  and  hasty 
measures  for  its  defence.  If  individuals  have  violated  the  princi- 
ples of  justice,  under  pretence  of  promoting  the  interest  of  reli- 
gion, the  courts  arc  open,  let  them  be  brought  to  a  fair  trial,  that 
they  may  be  condemned  and  punished  ;  but  excite  not  against 
them  the  violence  of  an  angry  multitude,  before  their  cause  has 
been  heard. 

3.*  We  see  from  this  story  what  powerful  impediments  Chris- 
tianity had  to  contend  with  ;  not  merely  the  errors  of  a  senseless 
superstition,  and  the  charms  of  a  religion  which  allowed  to  its 
votaries  the  free  indulgence  of  their  grossest  passions,  but  the 
zeal  of  men  who  con.sidered  their  wealth  and  even  their  subsist- 
ence as  necessarily  connected  with  the  popular  opinion  ;  with  the 
zeal  of  priests,  and  augurs,  and  craftsmen  without  number,  who 
obtained  their  support  by  the  heathen  worship.  A  religion  which, 
by  its  own  intrinsic  force,  without  the  aid  of  civil  power,  could  in 
so  short  a  time  triumph  over  such  obstacles,  must  surely  be  ac- 
companied with  the  irresistible  evidence  of  a  divine  original. 


SECTION  XXXIII. 


Paul  leaves  Kjjfiesus,  and  travels  through  Macedonia  and  Greece. 
He  returns  to  Asia,  and  at  Troas  raises  Eutychus  from  the 
dead. 

Acts  xx.  1 — IG. 

1.  And  after  the  uproar  had  ceased,  Paul  called 
unto  liim  the  disciples,  and  embraced  them,  "  saluted 
them,^^  in  taking  leave,  and  departed  for  to  go  into 
Macedonia. 

Although  the  tumult  at  Ephesus  had  been  appeased,  without 
any  act  of  violence,  he  did  not  choose  to  expose  the  Christians  in 
that  city  to  fresh  odium  and  danger,  by  continuing  any  longer 
amongst  them. 

2.  And  when  he  had  gone  over  those  parts,  and 
had  given  them  much  exhortation,  he  came  into 
Greece. 

3.  And  there  abode  three  months  : 

The  principal  object  of  Paul's  journey  was  to  establish  the  dis- 
ciples in   the   Christian    profession,    to    confirm    the    faith  of  the 


XX.  1—16.)  ACTS.  209 

wavering,  and  to  correct  any  errors  in  discipline  or  doctrine  into 
which  they  might  have  I'allen.  He  had  also  in  view  the  farther 
object  of  making  a  collection  among  the  Gentile  churches,  for  the 
benefit  of  the  poor  saints  who  were  at  Jerusalem.  With  this  view 
he  had  already  sent  Timothy  and  Erastus  into  Macedonia,  xix.  2"2,  to 
prepare  them  for  his  arrival.  This  object  being  now  accomplished, 
he  proposed  to  return  the  shortest  way  to  Jerusalem,  through 
Syria,  but  is  obliged  to  go  by  another  route,  in  consequence  of  the 
designs  formed  against  him  by  the  Jews. 

And  when  the  Jews  laid  wait  for  him,  as  he  was 
about  to  sail  into  Syria,  he  purposed,  "  he  resolved^'''' 
to  return  through  Macedonia,  the  way  by  which  he 
came. 

4.  And  there  accompanied  him  into  Asia,  Sopater 
of  Berea  ;  but  Aristarchus  and  Secundus  of  Thessa- 
lonica,  Gains  of  Derbe,  Timothy  of  Lystra,  and 
Tychicus  and  Trophimus  of  Asia, 

5.  These,  going  before  tarried  for  us  at  Troas. 

There  are  different  methods  of  reading  and  pointing  the  fourth 
verse.  According  to  that  which  I  have  adopted,  Paul  had  but 
one  companion  to  attend  him  from  Greece,  namely  Sopater.  The 
other  persons  here  mentioned  went  before  to  wait  for  him  at  Troas. 
I  must,  indeed,  add  the  name  of  the  writer  of  this  history  to  that 
of  Sopater  ;  for  by  using  the  pronoun  us  he  modestly  intimates, 
that  he  was  one  of  the  companions  of  Paul  on  this  journey.  The 
persons  above-mentioned  were  the  messengers  of  the  several 
churches  jointly  commissioned  with  Paul  to  convey  their  charity 
to  Jerusalem. 

6.  And  we  sailed  away  from   Philippi,    after    the 

days  of  unleavened  bread,  and  came  to  them  to  Troas 

in  five  days,  where  we  abode  seven  davs. 

The  days  of  unleavened  bread,  were  the  days  of  preparation 
for  the  passover ;  they  are  here  mentioned  either  merely  for  the 
sake  of  marking  the  time  at  which  the  apostle  began  his  journey, 
or  to  intimate  that  it  was  deferred  till  after  that  time,  which  was 
deemed  more  than  ordinarily  sacred  with  the  Jews,  even  when  in 
a  foreign  country,  where  that  festival  could  not  be  observed ;  for 
although  the  apostle  contended  so  earnestly  for  exempting  the 
Gentile  converts  from  the  observance  of  the  law  of  Moses,  yet  he 
allowed  the  Jews,  after  they  became  Christians,  to  keep  it,  and 
complied  with  it  himself. 

7.  And  upon  the  first  day  of  the  week  when  the 
disciples  came  together  to  break  bread,  Paul  preached 
unto  them,  ready  to  depart  on  the  morrow,  and  con- 
tinued his  speech  until  midnight. 

VOL.   111.  2   c 


21Q  ACTS.  (xx.  1—16. 

The  first  day  of  the  week,  here  mentioned,  is  undoubtedly  the 
day  on  which  Christ  rose  from  the  dead,  answering  to  our  Lord's- 
day,  or  Sunday.  As  the  breaking  of  the  bread  occurs  in  this 
verse  in  connexion  with  disciples,  it  is  generally  supposed  to  refer 
to  the  Lord's  Supper,  which  is  aptly  described  by  that  action,  and 
was  celebrat'd  on  this  day,  in  preference  to  any  other,  on  account 
of  the  relation  wliich  it  bore  to  his  resurrection.  From  this 
passage  it  appears  that  it  was  the  custom  of  Christians,  in  early 
times,  to  meet  together  on  the  first  day  of  the  week  for  celebrating 
the  Lord's  Supper,  and  for  otlier  purposes  of  religious  worship  and 
instruction,  and  that  they  were  countenanced  in  doing  so  by  the 
apostle  Paul ;  but  it  does  not  a]ipear  from  this,  nor,  I  conceive, 
from  any  other  passage  of  the  New  Testament,  that  they  regarded 
this  day  as  more  sacred  than  any  other,  or  tliat  they  observed  it,  as 
the  Jews  did  their  sabbath,  as  a  day  of  total  cessation  from  all 
ordinary  occupation.  Religious  worship  and  instruction  were 
evidently  not  confined  to  the  Lord's-day ;  for  we  find  that  Paul 
taught  daily  in  the  school  of  one  Tyrannus.  As  this  was  the  last 
lime  Paul  would  have  to  address  them,  being  resolved  to  depart  on 
the  morrow,  he  extended  his  discourse  to  an  e.xtraordinary  length.* 

8.  And  there  were  many  lights  in  the  upper  cham- 
ber where  they  were  gathered  together. 

This  circumstance  is  noticed,  I  apprehend,  to  account  for  what 
is  mentioned  in  the  next  verse,  the  windows  being  open  in  the 
night ;  that  precaution  being  necessary  for  the  purpose  of  admitting 
air,  and  of  preventing  the  apartment  from  being  too  much  heated 
by  the  lights,  as  well  as  by  the  company  assembled. 

9.  And  there  sat  in  the  window  a  certain  young 
man,  named  Eutychus,  being  fallen  into  a  deep  sleep, 
and  as  Paul  was  long  preaching,  he  sunk  down  with 
sleep,  and  fell  down  from  the  third  loft,  "  the  third 
stori/,^^  and  was  taken  up  dead. 

The  windows  of  the  ancients  were  not  covered  with  glass,  as 
ours  are,,  but  were  small  doors,  which,  when  uncovered,  were  quite 
operv.  Tlirough  one  of  these  doors,  therefore,  a  man  might  fall, 
when  oppressed  with  sleep.  From  the  height  from  which  Euty- 
chus fell,  that  of  three  stories,  we  may  suppose  that  he  was  not 
merely  dead  in  appearance,  but  actually  killed,  and  that,^  there- 
fore, the  symptoms  of  life  which  appeared  soon  afierwards,  were 
the  effect  of  miraculous  powers  exerted  for  his  recovery. 

10.  And  Paul  went  down,  and  fell  on  him,  and, 
embracing  him,  said.  Trouble  not  yourselves  ;  for  his 
life  is  in  him. 

In  this  action  Paul  seems  to  have  imitated  the  conduct  of  Elijah 
and  Elisha,  who,  when  they  endeavoured  to  raise  a  dead  child  to 
life,  threw  themselves  upon  him.    1  Kings  xvii.  21.    2  Kings  iv.  34. 

•  Theological  Repository,  Vol.  VI.  pp.  335,  &.c. ;  Vol.  V.  pp.  3-t5,  &ic. 


XX.  1—16.)  ACTS.  til 

11.  When  he,  therefore,  was  come  up  again,  and 

had  broken  bread  and   eaten,  and  talked  a  long  while, 

even  till  break  of  day,  he  departed. 

That  this  was  not  the  bread  of  a  common  meal  is  evident  from 
its  not  having  been  eaten  till  midnight. 

12.  And  they  brought  the  young  man  alive,  and 
were  not  a  little  comforted. 

13.  And  we  went  before  to  ship,  and  sailed  unto 
Assos,  a  sea-port  town^  at  a  little  distance  from  Troas, 
there  intendin_2;  to  take  in  Paul ;  for  so  had  he  ap- 
pointed, minding  himself  to  go  afoot,  "  by  land.^^ 

14.  And  when  he  had  met  with  us  at  Assos,  we 
took  him  in,  and  came  toMitylene,  the  principal  town 
in  the  island  of  Lesbos. 

15.  And  we  sailed  thence,  and  came  the  next  day 
over  against  Chios,  another  island  in  the  same  sea, 
and  the  next  day  we  arrived  at  Samos,  an  island  on 
the  coast  of  Asia,  and  tarried  at  Trogy Ilium,  a  pro- 
montory of  the  Lesser  Asia,  and  the  next  day  we 
came  to  Miletus. 

This  sea-port  was  situated  on  the  continent  beyond  Ephesus,  in 
the  direction  in  which  they  were  now  sailing,  and  gives  occasion 
for  the  observation  in  the  next  verse,  that  Paul  purposely  passed 
by  Ephesus,  lest  it  should  prevent  him  from  arriving  in  time  at 
Jerusalem. 

16.  For  Paul  had  determined  to  sail  by   Ephesus, 

because  he  would  not  spend  the  time  in  Asia ;  for  he 

hasted,  if  it  were  possible,  for  him  to  be  at  Jerusalem 

the  day  of  Pentecost. 

At  this  time  Paul  hoped  to  meet  a  greater  number  of  Christians 
at  Jerusalem,  and  to  have  a  better  opportunity  of  distributing  the 
charity  with  which  he  was  entrusted. 


REFLECTIONS. 


1.  Let  us  follow  the  example  of  these  early  Christians,  who 
assembled  for  observing  religious  ordinances  and  for  receiving 
religious  instruction,  on  the  first  day  of  the  week.  No  precept  of 
our  religion,  indeed,  enjoins  upon  us  a  like  practice ;  no  declara- 
tion of  Christ  or  his  apostles  is  recorded,  by  which  it  can  be  made 
to  appear,  that  the  day  is  appropriated  to  such  purposes ;  yet  the 


212  ACTS.  (xx.  17—38. 

practice  is  recommended  to  us  on  the  same  principles  of  expedi- 
ency and  utility  as  it  was  to  them.  We  have  the  same  wants  as 
they  had,  and  are  exposed  to  the  same  dancrors  from  the  snares  of 
the  world  and  the  frailty  of  our  nature.  We  have,  therefore,  the 
same  occasion  for  religious  information,  and  the  same  necessity  for 
havinc  divine  truth  frequently  inculcated  upon  the  mind.  While 
Ave  are  urged  by  the  same  powerful  motives,  it  will  be  our  wisdom 
to  follow  the  same  conduct. 

If  Christians  so  near  the  time  of  Christ  found  it  so  useful  to 
break  biead  in  remembrance  of  their  Master,  when  many  circum- 
stances conspired  to  preserve  his  n)emory,  can  it  be  less  useful  to 
us,  who  are  removed  to  so  great  a  distance  from  the  period  in  which 
he  lived,  and  who  are  under  so  many  stronger  temptations  to  forget 
him  ?  Let  those  who  live  in  the  habitual  neglect  of  this  ordinance 
seriously  consider,  whether  their  conduct  can  be  justified. 

2.  The  conduct  of  Paul  furnishes  us  with  a  fresh  instance  of 
his  zeal.  He  spends  a  whole  evening,  nay,  a  whole  night  until 
break  of  day,  in  discoursing  concerning  Jesus  and  his  reli;;ion; 
and  this,  also,  when  about  to  encounter  the  fatigues  of  a  journey, 
for  which,  others  would  think  it  necessary  to  prepare  by  previous 
repose.  This,  it  seems,  was  a  most  interesting  and  delightful 
theme,  whicli  never  appeared  exhausted,  and  on  which  he  could 
dwell  for  ever.  To  most  of  his  hearers,  also,  no  doubt,  it  was 
alike  interesting  and  delightful.  If  there  was  one  of  them  who, 
instead  of  listening  with  watcliful  attention  to  his  words,  fell  into 
a  sound  sleep,  yet  had  he  a  better  apology  to  offer  for  his  conduct 
than  those  who  indulge  themselves  in  the  same  manner  at  the 
present  day,  namely,  that  the  preacher's  discourse  had  been  con 
tinned  till  midnight.  Happy  apostle,  whose  heart  was  so  deeply 
interested  in  the  work  in  which  he  was  engaged ;  whose  mind  was 
animated  with  such  divine  ardour  ;  and  happy  they,  among  the 
ministers  of  Christ  of  the  present  day,  who  feel  any  portion  of  this 
spirit ! 


SECTION  XXXIV. 


PauTs  farewell  address  at  Miletus  to  the  elders  of  the  ehurch  of 

Ephesus. 

Acts  xx.  17 — 38. 

17.     And  from  Miletus  he  sent  to  Ephesus,   and 

called  the  elders  of  the  church. 

These  were  persons  the  most  respectable  for  their  years,  charac- 
ters, and  knowledge,  whom  the  apos'Je,  with  the  consent  of  the 
church,  had  chosen  to  preside  over  it  for  the  ]nirpose  of  instruc- 
tion. It  seems  to  have  been  tlie  practice  of  the  apostles  and  first 
teachers,  to  appoint  such   persons  to   this   cilice,    in   every   place 


XX.  17—38.  ACTS.  213 

where  a  society  of  Christians  was  established;  for  we  read,xiv.  23, 
that  they  appointed  them  elders  in  every  city.  This  was  no  more' 
than  a  necessary  provision  for  accomplishing  the  design  of  reli- 
gious societies.  The  reason  of  his  sending  for  these  elders  at  this 
time,  was,  to  warn  them  of  some  dangers  to  which  they  would 
shortly  be  exposed,  and  to  exhort  them  to  a  faithful  discharge  of 
their  office. 

13.  And  when  they  were  come  to  him,  he  said 
unto  them,  Ye  know,  from  the  first  day  that  I  came 
into  Asia,  after  what  manner  I  have  been  with  you, 
'■'■  I  have  behaved  among  you,^^  at  all  seasons. 

This  he  might  with  propriety  say  to  the  elders  of  the  church 
at  Ephesus ;  for  the  greatest  part  of  the  time  which  he  had  past 
in  Asia  he  had  spent  in  that  city. 

19.  Serving  the  Lord  with  all  humility  of  mind, 
and  with  many  tears  and  temptations,  "  ina/5," 
which  befel  me  by  the  lying-in-wait  of  the  Jews  ; 

He  refer  them  to  his  modest  and  unassuming  manners,  as  proofs 
that  his  motive  was  not  ambition  ;  and  to  the  dangers  which  he 
encountered,  as  evidences  of  his  sincere  attachment  to  the  gospel, 
and  especially  to  those  parts  of  it  which  were  obnoxious. 

20.  And  how  I  kept  back  nothing  that  was  profit- 
able unto  you,  but  have  showed  you,  and  taught  you 
publicly,  and  from  house  to  house, 

21.  Testifying,  both  to  the  Jews,  and  also  to  the 
Greeks,  repentance  toward  God,  and  faith  toward  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

By  the  word  repentance  in  this  place,  I  understand  the  same 
thing  as  in  xi.  18,  where  it  is  said  that  God  had  granted  to  the 
Gentiles  also  repentance  unto  life ;  a  change  of  mind,  by  their 
abandoning  their  former  errors,  and  embracing  Christianity.  This 
was  the  great  subject  of  the  apostle's  preaching  to  Jews  as  well  as 
Gentiles.  To  exhortations  to  abandon  their  errors,  might  very 
well  be  added,  exhortations  to  believe  in  Christ ;  but  if  the  com- 
mon interpretation  were  true,  faith  in  Christ  must  precede  repent- 
ance, and  be  the  cause  of  it,  which  is  directly  the  reverse  of  the 
order  in  which  the  apostle  preached.  By  saying  that  he  kept  back 
nothing  that  was  profitable,  the  apostle  probably  refers  to  that 
doctrine  which  he  seems  to  have  received  by  peculiar  revelation 
from  heaven,  and  which  he  elsewhere  calls  a  mystery,  namely,  that 
the  Gentiles  were  to  be  admitted  into  the  Christian  church  upon 
professing  faith  in  Christ,  without  conforming  to  the  law  of  Moses. 
This  doctrine  was  of  high  importance  to  the  Gentiles,  and,  if  denied 
or  concealed,  might  have  caused  many  of  them  to  reject  Christian- 
ity altogether.  It  was,  therefore,  explicitly  avowed,  and  strenu- 
ously insisted  upon  by  the  apostle  in  all  the  Gentile  churches  ; 


214  ACTS.  (xx.  17—38. 

although  he  knew  that  it  would  render  him  extremely  obnoxious 
to  the  Jews,  and  expose  him  to  much  danger. 

22.  And  now,  behold,  I  go  bound  in  the  Spirit  to 
Jerusalem,  i.e.  '■'■  in  my  mind  already  bound,^^*  pre- 
saging my  imprisonment,  not  knowing  the  things  that 
shall  befai  me  there  ; 

23.  Save  that  the  Holy  Spirit  witnesseth  in  every 
city,  saying,  that  bonds  and  afilictions  abide  me, 
"  aioait  me." 

The  apostle  here  refers  to  such  prophecies  as  that  mentioned  in 
the  next  chapter,  where  we  are  told  that  when  he  came  to  Cesarea, 
Agabus  took  his  girdle,  and  bound  himself  with  it,  saying.  So 
shall  it  be  done  to  the  man  who  owneth  this  girdle.  Similar 
prophecies,  it  seems,  had  been  delivered  to  him  in  almost  all  the 
cities  through  which  he  passed. 

24.  But  none  of  these  things  move  me,  ^^  I  make 

no  account  of  any  such   thing  f^  neither  count  I   my 

life  dear  unto  myself,  so  that  I  may  finish   my  course 

with  joy,  and  the  ministry  which  1   have  received   of 

the    Lord  Jesus,  i.  e  the  apostolic  office  ivhich  I  have 

received   immediately  from   his   hands,  to  testify  the 

gospel    of  the   grace   of  God,  "io   declare   the  glad 

tidings  of  the  favour  of  God.^^ 

The  object  of  the  commission  which  the  apostle  had  received 
from  Jesus  Christ,  was  to  preach  to  the  Gentiles,  i.e.  to  assure 
them  that  God  was  willing  to  extend  his  favour  to  them,  as  well  as 
to  the  Jews,  by  communicating  to  them  a  knowledge  of  true  reli- 
gion, and  bestowing  miraculous  powers.  To  fulfil  this  commission, 
to  the  satisfaction  of  his  own  mind,  he  now  declares  his  readiness 
to  suffer  imprisonment,  and  even  to  sacrifice  his  life. 

25.  And  now,  behold,  I  know  that  ye  all,  among 
whom  I  have  gone  preaching  the  kingdom  of  God, 
shall  see  my  face  no  more. 

26.  Wherefore  I  take  you  to  record  this  day, 
^^  I  declare  unto  you,^^  that  I  am  pure  from  the  blood 
of  all  men,  i.  e.  "  of  you  all,^^  for  it  is  of  them  only 
that  he  is  speaking ; 

27.  For  I  have  not  shunned  to  declare  unto  you 
all  the  counsel  of   God. 

In  this  place  the  apostle  probably  refers  to  what  I  have  mention- 
ed already,  the  obnoxious  doctrine  respecting  the  Gentiles,  which 

•  Mangey,  in  Bowyer's  Conjectures. 


XX.  17—38.)  ACTS.  215 

he  was  under  such  great  temptations  to  conceal,  on  account  of  the 
opposition  of  the  Jews.  This  he  liad  not  forborn  to  publish  ;  and, 
therefore,  if  any  of  them  fell  away  from  Christianity,  and  were 
thereby  lost,  the  blame  could  not  be  imputed  to  him,  but  must  lie 
upon  themselves. 

Having  mentioned  his  own  conduct,  Paul  proceeds  to  exhort 
them  to  manifest  like  care  and  integrity. 

28.  Take  heed,  therefore,  unto  yourselves  and  to 
all  the  flock,  over  which  tlie  Holy  Spirit  hath  made 
you  overseers,  or,  "  bishops,''''  for  so  the  word  is  in  the 
original,  to  feed,  or,  "  tend,^^  the  ciiurch  of  the 
Lord,  which  he  hath  purchased  with  his  own  blood. 

The  best  manuscripts  and  versions  read  in  this  verse,  the  church 
of  the  Lord,  i.e.  of  Christ,  and  not  the  church  of  God,  the  reading 
which  our  version  has  followed.  The  former,  therefore,  is  proba- 
bly the  true  reading,  and  the  latter  a  corruption.*  To  such 
wretched  expedients  have  men  had  recourse,  in  order  to  support  a 
weak  cause.  Common  sense,  indeed,  seems  to  require  this  con- 
struction of  the  apostle's  language,  whatever  his  words  might  be 
supposed  to  be;  for  to  talk  of  the  blood  of  God,  as  if  the  spiritual 
and  omnipresent  Deity  could  bleed  and  die,  is  such  horrid  impiety 
as  could  never  for  a  moment  be  supposed  to  enter  the  thoughts  of 
this  illustrious  preacher  of  the  gospel. 

From  this  verse,  it  plainly  appears  that  by  bishops  and  elders 
are  meant,  in  the  New  Testament,  the  same  persons;  for  the 
elders  of  the  church  of  Ephesus  are  expressly  called  Bishops  .•  but 
our  translators,  contrary  to  their  practice  in  other  places,  have 
here  rendered  the  word  overseers.  The  opinion,  therefore,  which 
many  maintain,  that  bishops  are  a  distinct  order  of  persons,  enjoy- 
ing superior  authority,  and  presiding  over  the  elders  and  churches 
of  a  particular  district,  has  no  foi  idation  in  the  New  Testament. 
These  elders  are  said  to  have  been  made  bishops  by  the  Holy 
Spirit,  because  they  were  made  such  by  the  apostle,  who  was  as- 
sisted by  the  gifts  of  the  Spirit,  or  miraculous  powers. 

The  apostle's  solemn  exhortation  is  founded  on  apprehensions 
which  he  entertained  of  the  danger  to  which  they  would  be  ex- 
posed, which  he  now  proceeds  to  state. 

29.  For  I  know  this,  that  after  my  departure,  shall 
grievous  wolves  enter  in  among  you,  not  sparing  the 
flock. 

30.  Also  of  your  own  selves  shall  men  arise, 
speaking  perverse  things,  to  draw  away  disciples  after 
-them. 


text. 


*  See  Griesbach,  who,  in  his  second  edition,  has  taken  wgiov,  of  the  Lord,  into  the 


21G  ACTS.  (xx.  17—38. 

The  persons  who  principall)'  disturbed  the  peaceof  the  churches 
pUmted  by  Paul  were  Jews,  who,  as  we  learn  from  the  epistles, 
endeavoured  every  w-herc  to  divert  men  from  the  pure  gospel  of 
Christ,  by  recommending  the  observance  of  the  ceremonies  of  tlie 
Mosaic  law.  Tliose  who  refused  to  comply  with  their  injunctions 
they  persecuted  themselves,  or  stirred  up  otiiers  to  persecute.  To 
these  men  the  apostle  here  gives  the  denomination  of  wolves,  as  he 
does  elsewhere  that  of  dogs.* 

31.  Therefore  watch,  and  remember  that  by  the 
space  of  three  years  I  ceased  not  to  warn  every  one, 
night  and  day,  with  tears. 

The  Jews,  it  seems,  began  to  show  themselves  in  the  churches 
even  while  the  apostle  was  present  with  them,  and  made  it  neces- 
sary for  him  incessantly  to  caution  them,  with  much  earnestness, 
against  their  plausible  language. 

32.  And  now,  brethren,  I  commend  you  to  God, 
and  to  the  word  of  his  grace,  which  is  able  to  build 
you  up,  and  to  give  you  an  inheritance  among  all  them 
who  are  sanctified. 

That  is,  as  the  words  are  commonly  interpreted,  I  commit  you  to 
the  care  of  Divine  Providence  and  to  the  iniluence  of  the  gospel 
of  Christ,  which  is  able  to  build  you  up  in  virtue,  and  to  give  you 
a  portion  amongst  the  righteous  in  a  future  life ;  but,  ])erhaps,  by 
*' the  sanctified,"  the  apostle  only  means  Christians  in  the  present 
life,  who  are  often  said  to  be  sanctified,  and  are  called  saints;  and 
by  "  an  inheritance,"  a  place  amongst  the  professors  of  the  gospel 
at  present. 

33.  I  have  coveted  no  man's  silver,  or  gold,  or 
apparel. 

34.  Yea,  ye  yourselves  know,  that  these  hands 
have  ministered  unto  my  necessities,  and  to  them  that 
were  with  me. 

35.  I  have  showed  you  all  things,  everi/  part  of 
your  dull/,  how  that,  so  labouring,  ye  ought  to  support 
the  weak,  "  the  5tc/t,"  and  to  remember  the  words  of 
the  Lord  Jesus,  how  he  said,  It  is  more  blessed  to 
give  than  to  receive. 

36.  And  when  he  had  thus  spoken,  he  kneeled 
down,  and  prayed  with  them  all. 

37.  And  they  all  wept  sore,  and  fell   upon   Paul's 

*  Pliilippians  iii.  S. 


XX.  17— 3S.)  ACTS.  217 

neck,  and  kissed  him,  that  is,  took   leave  of  him   by 
saluting  him  ; 

38.  Sorrowing  most  of  all  for  the  words  which  he 
spake,  that  they  should  see  his  face  no  more.  And 
they  accompanied  him  unto  the  ship. 


REFLECTIONS. 


This  affectionate  address  of  the  apostle  to  the  elders  of  the 
church  at  Ephesus  abounds  with  lessons  of  instruction,  both  to 
ministers  and  people. 

1.  The  former  it  teaches  how  they  may  most  faithfully  dis- 
charge their  office  ;  not  by  professing  what  they  do  not  believe,  not 
by  withholding  their  sentiments,  or  disguising  them  by  the  use  of 
ambiguous  language ;  but  by  teaching  the  truth  openly  and  fully, 
without  concealment  or  reserve.  Thus  it  was  that  the  apostle 
acted,  who  kept  back  nothing  that  was  profitable,  and  shunned  not 
to  declare  the  whole  will  of  God ;  and  those  who  wish  to  acquire 
the  same  character  for  honesty  and  integrity  must  act  in  the  same 
manner.  To  withhold  or  conceal  the  truth,  is  to  incur  the  blame 
of,  and  to  render  ourselves  answerable  for,  all  the  evils  which  are 
inseparably  connected  with  ignorance  and  error  ;  for  the  enthusi- 
asm, superstition,  and  idolatry,  of  some,  the  scepticism  and  infi- 
delity of  others.  If,  by  our  misrepresentations  or  silence,  any  fall 
into  fatal  errors ;  if  they  mistake  the  object  of  the  gospel  or 
reject  it  altogether,  their  ruin  must  be  attributed  to  us  ;  their  blood 
will  lie  upon  our  heads.  Let  no  one  say  that  the  disclosure  of  the 
truth  may  be  premature,  or  do  harm.  The  Being,  from  whom  we 
have  received  it,  is  the  best  judge  of  its  tendency ;  and  if  he 
thinks  that  the  knowledge  of  it  will  be  useful  to  mankind,  which 
he  has  plainly  declared  by  communicating  it,  whether  by  the  light 
of  reason  or  by  revelation,  let  no  man  pretend  to  be  wiser  than  his 
Maker. 

If  this  be  the  duty  of  Christian  teachers,  it  is  no  less  the  duty 
of  Christian  hearers  to  bear  with  that  openness  and  sincerity  in 
ministers,  which  their  religion  enjoins.  To  be  offended  with  this 
freedom  is  to  be  oflfended  with  the  performance  of  the  first  duty 
which  man  owes  to  his  neighbour — integrity  ;  and  to  tempt  men  to 
concealment  and  artifice,  where  openness  and  courage  are  of  the 
highest  importance. 

2.  We  learn,  that  to  discharge  our  duty  with  fidelity  and  to  the 
satisfaction  of  our  own  minds,  is  more  desirable  than  ease,  liberty, 
or  life.  All  these  the  apoftie  was  willing  to  give  up,  in  order  to 
finish  his  course  with  joy,  and  to  fulfil  the  ministry  which  he  had 
received ;  and  every  wise  man  will  be  willing  to  make  the  same 

VOL.    III.  2d 


218  ACTS.  (xxi.  1—26. 

sacrifices.  Peace  of  mind  is  a  prize  which  kingdoms  cannot 
purchase,  and  whicli  no  earthly  power  can  destroy.  Never  part 
with  it  ior  any  consideration. 

3.  Observe  how  disinterested  was  the  ai)ostIe's  attachment  to 
the  gospel.  Instead  of  amassing  wealth  by  the  enterprise  in  which 
he  was  engaged,  we  find  him  labouring  with  his  own  hands  for  the 
support  of  himself  and  his  companions.  Instead  of  being  receiv- 
ed with  applause  in  every  place,  he  is  warned  to  expect,  and 
experience  has  taught  him  to  look  for,  bonds  and  imprisonment : 
yet  none  of  these  things  retard  his  ])rogress,  or  induce  him  to 
slacken  his  cour.se.  What  can  attach  him  to  a  cause  attended 
with  so  little  profit,  and  accompanied  with  so  many  personal  evils? 
What  but  a  conviction  of  its  divine  origin,  and  of  its  supreme 
importance  to  mankind  ?  In  his  labours  and  sufierings,  therefore, 
we  read  a  perpetual  testimony  in  favour  of  the  gospel. 

4.  Let  us  all  remember  the  divine  maxim  delivered  by  our  Master, 
with  which  Paul  closes  his  address — that  it  is  more  blessed  to  give 
than  to  receive  ;  that  there  is  more  pleasure  in  conferring  favours 
than  in  receiving  them.  To  enjoy  this  sublime  pleasure,  let  us 
submit  to  labour  and  practise  self-denial.  The  satisfaction  to  be 
derived  from  an  ability  to  succour  the  infirm  and  indigent,  ac- 
quired by  this  means,  will  more  than  repay  our  sacrifices. 


SE(  TION  XXXV. 

Paul  returns  to  Jcrusaftiu,  and  performs  his  vow. 

AtTb  .xxi.  1 — 2fi. 

1.  And  it  came  to  pnss,  that  after  we  were  gotten 
from  them,  and  had  hiunched,  we  came  with  a  straight 
course  unto  Coos,  and  tlie  day  following  unto  Rhodes, 
and  from  thence  unto  Patara. 

Coos  was  one  of  the  islands  of  the  yEgean  sea,  now  called  Zia  ; 
Rhodes  was  another  island,  remarkable  for  a  temple  of  the  sun  and 
its  colossus;   and  Pataria  was  a  seaport  on  the   continent  of  Asia. 

2.  And  finding  a  ship  sailing  over  unto  Phenicia, 
we  went  aboard,  and  set  forth. 

3.  Now  when  we  had  discovered  Cyprus,  (see 
chap.  xiii.  4,)  we  left  it  on  the  left-hand,  and  sailed 
into  Syria,  and  landed  at  Tyre  ;  for  there  the  ship  was 
to  unlade  her  burthen. 

Thn  ship  was  said  to  be  bound  for  Phenicia ;  but  here  the 
country  at  which  she  arrives  is  called  Syria,  because  Phenicia  was 


xxi.  1-2(3.)  ACTS.  2lt 

sometimes  reckoned  part  of  Syria.     Hence  it  is,  that  in  the  gos- 
pels we  read  of  a  Syro-Phenician  woman. 

4.  And  finding  disciples,  we  tarried  there  seven 
days :  who  said  to  Paul,  through  the  Spirit,  that  he 
should  not  go  up  to  Jerusalem. 

This  they  did  not  say  by  the  direction  of  the  Spirit;  but  the 
dangers,  which  this  illustrious  preacher  of  the  gospel  would  en-., 
counter  in  Jerusalem,  were  revealed  to  the  disciples  at  Tyre,  as 
they  had  been  before  to  those  in  other  places,  and  their  dissuasion 
of  the  apostle  from  pursuing  his  journey  was  founded  upon  this 
revelation,  but  made  no  part  of  it.  Had  it  been  really  dictated 
by  the  Spirit,  he  must  have  yielded  to  it. 

5.  And  when  we  had  accomplished  those  days,  we 
departed  and  went  our  way  ;  and  they  all  brought  us 
on  our  way,  with  wives  and  children,  till  we  were 
out  of  the  city  ;  and  we  kneeled  down  on  the  shore 
and  prayed. 

6.  And  when  v»e  had  taken  our  leave  one  of 
another,  we  took  ship,  and  they  returned  home  again. 

7.  And  when  we  had  finished  our  course  from 
Tyre,  we  came  to  Ptolemais,  a  town  in  Palestine^  now 
called  Acre,  and  saluted  the  brethren,  and  abode  with 
them  one  day. 

8.  And  the  next  day  we  departed,  and  came  to 
Cassarea,  and  we  entered  into  the  house  of  Philip 
the  Evangelist,  (who  was  one  of  the  seven,)  i.  e.  one 
of  the  seven  deacons  mentioned  in  chapter  vi.  and  abode 
with  him. 

The  words,  "we  that  were  of  Paul's  company,"  which  appear 
in  our  Enghsh  translation  of  this  verse,  are  not  found  in  some  of 
the  best  copies  of  the  original,  and  therefore  have  been  omitted.* 

9.  And  the  same  man  had  four  daughters,  virgins, 
who  did  prophecy. 

It  has  been  observed  more  than  once  in  the  course  of  this  history, 
that  the  term  prophet  does  not  always  imply  a  power  of  foretelling 
future  events,  but  frequently  the  office  of  a  Christian  teacher. 
This  was  probably  the  employment  of  these  daughters  of  Philip, 
whom  their  father,  himself  a  preacher,  had  trained  up  for  this 
purpose,  in  an  age  when  teachers  were  so  much  wanted.  Miracu- 
lous powers  were  undoubtedly  communicated  to  both  sexes,  with- 
out distinction,  in  the  first  ages ;  but  it  is  not  probable  that   four 


*  Griesbach. 


220  ACTS.  (xxi.  1—26. 

persons  in  the  same  family  should  all  be  endued  with  the  samcextra- 
ordinary  talent.  Had  this  really  been  the  case,  we  should  have 
been  informed  of  the  subject  of  their  prophecies  as  we  are  in  the 
next  verse  of  those  of  Agabus. 

10.  And  as  we  tarried  there  many  days,  there  eame 
down  from  Judaea  a  ceitain  prophet,    named  Agabus. 

This  is  the  same  person  who  is  mentioned,  Acts  xi.  28,  as  being 
at  Antiuch,  and  foretelling  a  dreadful  famine  in  Judoca,  in  the  days 
of  Claudius  Caesar. 

11.  And  when  he  was  come  unto  us,  he  took 
Paul's  girdle,  and  bound  his  own  hands  and  feet,  and 
said.  Thus  saith  the  Holy  Spirit,  So  shall  the  Jews 
at  Jerusalem  bind  the  man  that  owneth  this  girdle, 
and  shall  deliver  him  into  the  hands  of  the  Gentiles. 

By  such  symbolical  actions,  the  ancient  prophets  frecjuenlly 
foretold  future  events, 

12.  And  when  we  heard  these  things,  both  we 
and  they  of  that  place,  besought  him  not  to  go  up  to 
Jerusalem. 

His  friends,  probably,  regarded  this  prediction  of  the  sufferings 
which  he  must  endure  if  he  went  up  to  Jerusalem,  as  containing 
intimations  that  he  ought  not  to  go,  and  urged  them  upon  him  in 
that  view.  But  as  the  apostle  had  received  no  prohibition  upon  the 
subject,  he  was  not  to  be  discouraged  by  the  prospect  of  persecu- 
tion from  discharging  what  he  conceived  to  be  his  duty. 

13.  Then  Paul  answered.  What,  mean  ye  to  weep 
and  to  break,  my  heart  ?  for  I  am  ready  not  to  be  bound 
only,  but  also  to  die  at  Jerusalem  for  the  name  of  the 
Lord  Jesus. 

The  affectionate  concern  which  you  show  for  my  safety,  distresses 
me  beyond  measure,  but  does  not  move  my  purpose.  I  entreat 
you,  therefore,  to  spare  me  this  pain,  by  ceasing  your  importuni- 
ties;  for  so  great  is  my  desire  to  advance  the  Christian  doctrine, 
that  for  this  purpose  I  am  willing  not  only  to  be  imprisoned,  but 
also  to  suffer  death.  The  name  of  Christ  is  here,  by  a  common 
figure  of  speech,  put  for  his  cause. 

14.  And  when  he  would  not  be  persuaded,  we 
ceased,  saying.  The  will  of  the  Lord  be  done. 

Since  thou  appearest  to  act  from  a  sense  of  duty  in  going  up  to 
Jerusalem,  we  acquiesce  in  thy  resolution  to  expose  thyself  to 
danger,  since  it  seems  to  be  the  will  of  Heaven. 

15.  And  after  those  days  we  took  up  our  carria- 


xxi.  1—26.)  ACTS.  221 

ges,  "  we  made  ourselves   ready^''^  and    went   up    to 
Jesusalem. 

16.  There   went  with  us,  also,  certain  of  the  dis- 
ciples of  Caesarea,  and  brought  with  them   one  Mna- 
son  of  Cyprus,  an  old  disciple,  i.e.  one  ivho  had  pro- 
fessed the  gospel  from  the  beginning,  with  whom  we 

should  lodge. 

17.  And  when  we  were  come  to  Jerusalem,  the 
brethren  received  us  gladly. 

It  is  wortliy  of  observation,  tiiat,  although  the  followers  of 
Christ  had  been  called  Christians  for  many  years,  yet  Paul  and 
Luke  decline  the  use  of  the  term,  calling  them,  as  here,  brethren 
or  believers.  They  probably  thought  that  it  rendered  them  too 
much  like  the  different  sects  of  philosophers,  which  were  called 
after  the  names  of  their  leaders. 

18.  And  the  day  following,  Paul  went  in  with  us 
unto  James,  and  all  the  elders  were  present. 

James  was  one  of  the  apostles,  who  resided  many  years  at  Jerusa- 
lem— the  rest  were  the  elders  of  different  churches  in  the  city. 

18.  And  when  he  had  saluted  them,  he  declared 
particularly  what  things  God  had  wrought  among  the 
Gentiles  by  his  ministry,  "6//  his  services.^^ 

This  work  was  done  by  the  apostle ;  yet  so  accustomed  was  he 
to  see  God  in  every  thing,  that  be  ascribes  it  to  him ;  and  strictly 
and  philosophically  speaking,  the  work  was  his ;  for  he  furnished 
Paul  with  ability  to  perform  it;  not  in  a  miraculous  way,  but  by 
endowing  him  with  talents  that  qualified  him  for  preaching  the 
gospel. 

20.  And  when  they  heard  it,  they  glorified  the 
Lord,  they  praised  God  for  this  fresh  proof  of  his  good- 
ness, and  said  unto  him,  thou  seest,  brother,  how 
many  thousands  of  Jews  there  are  which  believe,  and 
they  are  zealous  for  the  law  ; 

21.  And  they  are  informed  of  thee,  that  thou 
teachest  all  the  Jews  which  are  among  the  Gentiles 
to  forsake  Moses,  saying,  that  they  ought  not  to  cir- 
cumcise their  children,  neither  to  walk  after  the 
customs,  i.  e.  of  Moses. 

22.  What  is  it,  therefore?  ^^ what  is  to  be  done, 
therefore  V  The  multitude  must  needs  come  togeth- 
er ;  for  they  will  hear  that  thou  art  come. 


222  ACTS.  (xxi.  1— 2G. 

23.  Do  this,  therefore,  that  we  say  unto  thee. 
We  have  four  men  which  have  a  vow  on  them  ; 

The  vow,  it  seems,  was  that  of  the  Nazarite — abstaining  from 
wiue,  and  letting  the  hair  grow  long. 

24.  Them  take,  and  purify  thyself  with  them, 
and  be  at  charges  with  tliem,  that  they  may  shave 
their  heads ;  and  all  may  know  that  those  things, 
whereof  they  were  informed  concerning  thee,  are 
nothing  ;  but  that  thou  thyself,  also,  walkest  orderly, 
and  keepest  the  law. 

To  assume  the  vow  of  a  Nazarite,  after  recovery  from  iUness  or 
some  remariiable  deliverance,  seems  to  have  been  a  common  prac- 
tice among  the  Jews  at  this  time.  The  accomplishment  of  a  vow 
of  this  kind,  is  thought,  by  many,  to  have  been  the  object  of  Paul's 
late  journey  to  Jerusalem.  As  the  expenses  of  the  vow  were  con- 
siderable, it  was  a  popular  act  to  bear  a  part,  or  the  whole  of  them, 
for  those  who  could  not  afford  to  do  it  themselves.  For  this 
reason,  Agrippa,  when  became  to  the  throne,  ordered,  as  Josephus 
tells  us,  a  good  number  of  Nazarites  to  be  shaved,  in  order  to  ingra- 
tiate himself  with  the  people.*  A  similar  act  the  brethren  at 
Jerusalem  now  advise  Paul  to  perform,  in  order  to  remove  the 
prejudices  entertained  against  him  by  his  countrymen,  as  encour- 
aging men  to  forsake  the  law.  Of  the  prudence  and  propriety  of 
this  advice,  there  is  much  reason  to  doubt.  One  thing,  at  least,  is 
certain,  that  it  did  not  answer  the  purpose  intended.  For  it 
proved  the  cause  of  the  tumult  which  was  afterwards  excited. 

25.  As  touching  the  Gentiles  who  believe,  we 
have  written,  and  concluded  that  they  observe  no 
such  thing,  save  only  that  they  keep  themselves  from 
things  offered  to  idols,  and  from  things  strangled,  and 
from  fornication, /rom  every  species  of  idolatry.^ 

The  apostles  and  first  Christians,  as  long  as  the  temple  stood, 
thought  proper  to  conform  to  the  law  of  Moses;  but  after  the 
destruction  of  Jerusalem  and  the  temple,  they  exempted  themselves, 
as  well  as  the  Gentiles,  from  observing  it. 

26.  Then  Paul  took  the  men,  and  the  next  day, 
purifying  himself  witli  them,  entered  into  the  temple, 
to  signify  the  accomplishment  of  the  days  of  purifi- 
cation, until  that  an  offering  should  be  offered  for 
every  one  of  them. 

*  Lardncr,  Vol.  1.  pp.  21 1,  212.  t  Sec  the  note  ou  Acts  xv.  20. 


xsi.  1—26.)  ACTS.  223 


REFLECTIONS. 

1.  From  the  example  of  the  apostles  and  the  Christians  at 
Ephesus  and  Tyre,  we  may  learn  in  what  manner  religious  iViends 
should  take  leave  of  each  other— by  prayer,  private  or  public,  by 
committinjr  each  other  to  the  divine  protection  and  blessmg.  For 
this  purpose,  the  apostle  and  his  friends  knelt  down  on  the  shore  of 
that  dangerous  element  on  which  he  was  about  to  embark,  and  with 
no  other  covering  than  the  canopy  of  heaven  ;  and  he  addressed  his 
petition  to  Him  who  rules  over  the  sea  as  well  as  over  the  land. 
From  such  an  act  of  devotion  they  would  rise  with  minds  free  horn 
anxiety  and  care.  The  apostle  would  pursue  his  voyage  with 
alacrity,  knowing  that  he  was  under  the  protection  of  God  ;  his 
friends  would  return  to  tiieir  several  occupations  with  tranqudlity 
and  composure,  satisfied  with  having  done  for  him  the  best  thing 
they  were  able  to  do,  by  commending  hirn  to  the  care  of  Hea- 
ven. In  this  manner  let  us  also  introduce  devotion  to  God 
into  all  our  transactions  ;  when  we  separate  from  our  friends, 
and  when  we  meet  them  again ;  when  we  go  to  rest  at  niglit,  and 
when  we  rise  in  the  morning;  when  we  engage  in  important  un- 
dertakings, and  when  we  abandon  them;  when  we  prosper,  and 
when  we  fail.  By  thus  introducing  the  Divine  Being  into  all  our 
concerns,  we  shall  render  our  pleasures  more  delightful,  our  pains 
and  sorrows  less  burthensome. 

2.  Let  us  admire  the  fortitude  of  this  illustrious  advocate  of 
the  truth,  in  going  up  to  Jerusalem,  notwithstanding  the  predictions 
of  so  mmy  prophets  foretelling  his  sufferings  there,  and  notwitli- 
standing  the  importunate  entreaties  of  his  friends.  It  was  not  the 
fortitude  of  constitutional  courage,  or  of  stoical  apathy,  but  the 
fortitude  of  a  man  who  felt  all  the  tender  sympathies  of  human 
nature,  who  wept  with  his  friends  when  they  wept,  and  whose 
heart  was  almost  broken  by  their  anxious  cares  for  his  own  safety. 
It  was  the  fortitude  of  a  man  who  acted  from  principle,  and  nottrom 
feeling;  whose  sense  of  duty,  and  a  desire  to  do  good,  were 
stront^er  than  the  love  of  friends,  of  liberty,  or  of  lite.  Where 
shall  we  find  so  illustrious  a  pattern  of  Christian  integrity  and  zeal  ? 
Nowhere,  but  in  him  who  went  up  to  the  same  city,  with  the 
certain  prospect  before  him  of  dying  amost  ignominious  and  painlul 
death. 

3.  Let  us  adopt  the  language  of  these  pious  Christians  under 
similar  disappointments,  and  learn  to  say,  like  them,  '  The  will  of 
the  Lord  be  done.' 

If  our  friends  are  doomed  to  affliction  vvhich  we  cannot  prevent; 
if  we  are  ourselves  overtaken  by  great  and  unexpected  calami- 
ties ;  if  schemes  for  doing  good,  which  we  had  long  entertained 
and'fondly  cherished,  are  defeated  by  events  over  which  we  had 
no  control,  in  all  these  circumstances  let  us  learn  to  say,  with 
cheerful  resignation,  '  The  will  of  the  Lord  be  done.' 


224       ^  ACTS.  (xxi.  27—40. 


SECTION  XXXVI. 

A  tumult  h  excited  by  the  Jcir>   aifainst  Paul,  who  is  rescued  hy 

the  Romans. 

Acts  xxi.  27 — 10. 

27.  And  whon  the  seven  days  were  almost  ended, 
i.  e.  the  days  of  Paul'' s  separation  as  a  Nazaritc,  at 
the  completion  of  which,  several  offerings  icere  to  be 
made  in  the  temple,  the  Jews  which  were  of  Asia, 
when  they  saw  him  in  the  temple,  stirred  up  all  the 
people,  and  laid  hands  on  him, 

28.  Crying  out,  Men  of  Israel,  help.  This  is 
the  man  that  teacheth  all  men  every  where  against 
the  people,  and  the  law,  and  this  place  ;  and  farther, 
brought  Greeks  also  into  the  temple,  and  hath  polluted 
this  holy  place. 

29.  For  they  had  seen  before  with  him,  in  the 
city,  Trophimus,  an  Ephesian,  whom  they  supposed 
that  Paul  had  brought  into  the  temple. 

Paul  had  spent  three  years  in  Asia,  an<]  experienced  much  oppo- 
sition from  the  Jews  in  that  quarter.  From  them,  therefore,  a 
persecution  aeainst  him  was  most  liUely  to  commence  at  Jerusalem. 
The  apostle's  having  accused  the  Jews  of  rejecting  and  crucifying 
the  Messiah,  was  considered  hy  them  as  speaking  against  the 
people;  the  support  of  a  new  dispensation  of  religion  was  opposi- 
tion to  the  law,  especially  if  he  intimated,  as  he  probably  did,  that 
that  law  was  soon  to  be  laid  aside.  He  foretoUl  that  the  tem[)le  was 
to  be  destroyed,  and  this  laid  the  foundation  of  the  charge  against 
him,  as  wril  as  against  Stephen,  of  speaking  against  that  place.  It 
is  well  known  that  the  outward  court  of  the  temple  was  called  the 
court  of  the  Gentiles,  because  so  far  they  were  allowed  to  advance 
in  this  sacred  place  :  but  these  people  could  not  justly  charge  Paul 
with  defiling  the  temple,  by  bringing  them  into  the  inner  court  or 
the  court  of  the  Israelites,  into  which  none  but  native  Israelites,  or 
proselytes  to  their  religion,  were  allowed  to  enter.  For  a  Centile 
to  be  found  here  was  regarded  as  a  sufficient  cause  for  instant  death, 
as  we  learn  from  the  testimony  both  of  Joscphus  and  Philo  ;  and, 
therefore,  they  went  about  to  inflict  it  upon  Paul,  whoni  they 
supposed   to  have  been  instrumental  in  bringing  one  hither. 

30.  And   all  the  city   nas  moved,  and  the  people 


xxi.  27—40.)  ACTS.  225 

ran  together,  and  they  took  Paul,  and  drew  him  out 
of  tlie  temple,  that  that  sacred  place  might  not  he  defil- 
ed ivith  his  blood,  and  forthwith  the  doors  were  shut. 

This  precaution  might  be  thought  necessary,  to  prevent  Paul  from 
taking  refuge  at  ihe  altar,  which  was  deemed  a  sacred  asylum. 

31.  And  as  they  went  about  to  kill  him,  tidings 
came  unto  the  chief  captain  of  the  band,  that  all 
Jerusalem  was  in  an  uproar  ; 

32.  Who  immediately  took  soldiers,  and  centu- 
rions, and  ran  down  unto  them,  and  when  they  saw 
the  chief  captain  and  the  soldiers  they  left  beating  of 
Paul. 

Adjoining  to  the  temple,  but  on  higher  ground,  so  as  to  overlook 
it,  was  placed  tiie  castle  of  Antonia.  In  this  place  a  garrison  of 
Roman  soldiers  was  constantly  stationed  for  the  purpose  of  keeping 
Jerusalem  in  awe,  and  particularly  of  preserving  tranquillity  at  the 
temple,  where  the  people  assembled  in  vast  numbers  to  celebrate 
their  festivals.  It  was  to  the  commanding  officer  on  this  station 
that  intelligence  was  brought  of  the  present  tumult,  perhaps  by  one 
of  the  centinels  who  might  obs(Tve  it  from  his  post.  The  vicinity 
of  the  castle  will  account  for  the  speedy  succour  which  the  chief 
captain  brought.  Had  he  been  stationed  in  a  distant  part  of  the  city, 
Paul  must  have  been  put  to  death  by  the  mob  long  before  he  could 
have  arrived.  The  beating,  now  inflicted,  is  said  to  have  been  call- 
ed by  the  Jews  the  beating  of  rebels,  and  was  frequently  so  severe, 
as  to  terminate  in  death  ;  and  this  was,  no  doubt,  their  intention  in 
the  present  instance,  had  they  been  suffered  to  proceed. 

33.  Then  the  chief  captain  came  near,  and  took 
him,  and  commanded  him  to  be  bound  with  two 
chains,  and  demanded  who  he  was,  and  what  he  had 
done. 

34.  And  some  cried  one  thing,  and  some  another, 
among  the  multitude  ;  and  when  he  could  not  know 
the  certainty  for  the  tumult,  he  commanded  him  to  be 
carried  into  the  castle. 

There  he  could  obtain  silence,  and  ascertain  the  charges  brought 
against  him.  We  see  here  how  the  prophecy  of  Agabus  was  fulfill- 
ed, who  foretold  that  Paul  should  be  bound  at  Jerusalem. 

35.  And  when  he  came  upon  the  stairs,  so  it  was, 
that  he  was  borne  of  the  soldiers  for  the  violence  of 
the  people. 

VOL.    III.  2    E 


226  ACTS.  (xxi.  27—40. 

36.  For  the  multitude  of  tlie  people  followed 
after,  crying,  Away  with  him,  "  killhimy 

Although  they  could  no  longer  offer  liim  violence,  they  cease  not 
to  express  their  wishes  openly  that  others  would  do  it.  The  stairs 
here  mentioned  were  the  steps  ascending  to  the  castle  from  the  tem- 
ple. Being  in  this  commanding  situation,  and  guarded  from  violence 
by  soldiers,  it  occurred  to  Paul  that  it  afforded  a  fivourable  oppor- 
tunity of  speaking  to  the  multitude.  [le,  therefore,  addresses  the 
captain  to  ask.  permission  for  this  purpose. 

37.  And  as  Paul  was  to  be  led,  "  was  about  to  he 
led,^^  into  the  castle,  he  said  unto  the  chief  captain, 
May  I  speak  unto  thee  ?  who  said,  Canst  thou  speak 
Greek  ? 

38.  Art  thou  that  Egyptian,  who,  before  these 
days  mad(?st  an  uproar,  and  leddest  out  into  the  wil- 
derness four  thousand  men  that  were  murderers  ? 

This  Egyptian,  according  to  the  account  given  of  him  by  Jose- 
phus,  was  a  pretended  prophet,  who,  coming  to  Jerusalem,  obtained 
a  considerable  number  of  followers,  whom  he  led  out  into  the  wilder- 
ness, where  they  increased  to  thirty  thousand.  Returning  hence  to 
mount  Olivet,  with  a  view  to  attack  Jerusalem,  he  was  defeated  by 
Felix,  the  Roman  governor,  but  escaped  with  his  life.  It  was  not, 
therefore,  an  improbable  supposition  of  the  chief  captain,  that  as 
the  Jews  in  Jerusalem  did  not  in  general  favour  his  cause,  the  present 
tumult  might  be  occasioned  by  his  return.* 

39.  But  Paul  said,  I  am  a  man  who  am  a  Jew, 
of  Tarsus  in  Cilicia,  a  citizen  of  no  mean  city,  and, 
I  beseech  thee,  suffer  me  to  speak  unto  the  people. 

Paul  in  his  answer  very  properly  says  that  he  was  a  Jew,  because 
that  proved  that  he  had  a  right  to  be  in  the  temple. 

Ancient  authors  tell  us  that  Tarsus  was  so  distinguished  for  learn- 
ing, commerce,  wealth,  and  grandeur,  that  it  might  dispute  the  palm 
with  Athens  and  Alexandria.  Paul  was  justified,  therefore,  in  say- 
ing that  it  was  no  mean  city. 

40.  And  when  he  had  given  him  licence,  Paul 
stood  on  the  stairs,  "  on  the  steps,''''  and  beckoned 
with  the  hand,  "  waved  his  hand,^^  unto  the  people. 


Lardner,  Vol.  I.  p.  414. 


xxi.  27—40.)  ACTS.  227 


REFLECTIONS. 

1.  From  this  portion  of  the  history,  we  may  observe  the  deplora- 
ble effect  of  an  intemperate  zeal  for  religion:  it  blinds  the  under- 
standiiiiT,  hardens  the  heart,  and  converts  men  into  savages  thirst- 
ing for  blood.  Such  was  its  effect  upon  these  Jews,  who,  having 
charged  an  innocent  and  virtuous  person  with  crimes  which  he  had 
never  committed,  seek  his  life,  and  are  so  impatient  to  accomplish 
their  wishes,  that  they  cannot  wait  for  the  usual  forms  of  justice. 
Nothing  short  of  his  immediate  death  will  satisfy  their  fury.  Re- 
ligion, however,  disdains  the  use  of  all  such  means  for  its  support: 
reason  and  argument  are  its  only  weapons  of  defence  :  if  these  fail, 
it  allows  us  not  to  have  recourse  to  others.  While  we  view  the  con- 
duct of  thesi-j  Jewish  zealots  with  horror,  let  us  not  forget  that  we 
are  liable  to  the  same  passions,  and  endeavour  to  check,  at  its  first 
appearance,  every  thing  in  ourselves  or  oihers,  which  has  this  ten- 
dency. Their  violence,  as  here  recorded,  serves  as  a  useful  warn- 
ing to  all  future  generations,  to  avoid  a  conduct  which  mankind,  in 
all  ages,  have  been  but  too  much  inclined  to  imitate.  It  likewise 
serves  to  prove,  what  the  history  asserts,  the  eminence  which  the 
apostle  had  attained,  and  the  success  of  his  labours  in  preaching  the 
gospel.  Against  a  person  less  illustrious  they  would  not  have  been 
so  exasperated. 

2.  From  the  conduct  of  the  multitude  on  this  occasion,  we  may 
h^arn  the  danger  of  tumultuous  proceedings,  and  the  necessity  of 
having  courts  of  law,  where  witnesses  may  be  examined  at  leisure, 
and  the  truth  sifted  out  with  deliberation  and  care.  We  see,  that 
when  the  contrary  method  is  employed,  when  men  become  judges 
in  their  own  cause,  when  an  ignorant  and  heated  multitude  take  the 
law  into  their  own  hands,  and  administer  it  according  to  their  own 
pleasure,  n  ithing  but  tumult  and  confusion  arise,  and  while  some 
cry  one  thing  and  some  another,  truth  and  error,  justice  and  injus- 
tice are  confounded,  and  the  innocent  suffer  instead  of  the  guilty. 
With  such  proceedings,  under  whatever  specious  pretence  conduct- 
ed, let  us,  my  brethren,  have  no  concern. 

3.  Let  us  admire  the  presence  of  mind  which  the  apostle  dis- 
covered, in  thinking  of  an  address  to  the  multitude  from  the  steps  by 
which  he  ascended  to  the  castle.  He  had  just  been  cruelly  beaten 
by  an  enraged  populace  ;  he  was  still  sore  with  the  bruises  which 
he  had  received  ;  they  were  pressing  upon  him  with  the  utmost  vio- 
lence, and  uttering  the  most  horrid  cries  for  his  life  :  yet  he  had  no 
sonoer  reached  an  eminence,  from  which  he  might  be  seen  and 
heard,  than  he  feels  an  irresistible  desire  to  address  them  in  vindica- 
tion of  hiujself  and  of  his  religion.  That  he  experienced  some  re- 
sentment at  such  unjust  usage  cannot  be  doubted,  since  his  feelings 
were  as  acute  as  those  of  other  men  ;  yet  he  represses  his  resent- 
ment, and  forgets  the  injury,  as  soon  as  he  has  an  opportunity  of  do- 


228  ACTS.         (xxi.  40. ;  xxii.  1—29. 

ing  good.  Happy  are  tlicy  who,  when  placed,  like  tlie  apostle,  in 
new  and  extraordinary  circuinslances,  know  how  to  seize  every  in- 
cident and  every  circumstance,  and  to  apply  it  to  some  useful  purpose. 


SECTION  XXXVII. 

Paul  makes  his  defence  to  the  Jews  in  the  tenqjle. 
Acts  xxi.  -10. ;  xxii.  1—29. 

40.     And  when  there  was  made  a  great  silence,  he 
spake  unto  them  in  the  Hebrew  tongue,  saying, 


1.  Brethren    and    fathers,   hear  ye  my  defence, 
which  I  now  make  unto  you. 

2.  And  when  they  heard  that  he  spake  in  the  He- 
brew tongue  to  them,  they  kept  the  more  silence  : 

As  this  was  their  native  lan<juage,  they  were  well  pleased  to   find 
hira  make  use  of  it,  and  not  of  Greek. 

And  he  saith, 

3.  I  am  verily  a  man  who  am  a  Jew,  born  in  Tar- 
sus, a  city  in  Cilicia,  yet  brought  up  in  this  city,  at  the 
feet  of  Gamaliel,  and  taught  according  to  the  perfect 
manner  of  the  law  of  the  fathers,  ^^  instructed  after 
the  strictness  of  the  law  of  the  father s^''^  his  master  be- 
ing a  Pharisee,  and  was  zealous  towards  God,  "  very 
zealouSj^^  as  ye  are  all  this  day. 

When  the  Hebrews  express  themselves  in  the  superlative  degree, 
they  use  the  name  of  God.     Rom.  x.  2. 

4.  And  I  persecuted  this  way,  "  the  professors  of 
this  religion^^^  unto  death,  binding  and  delivering  into 
prison  both  men  and  women. 

5.  As  also  the  high-priest  doth  bear  me  witness, 
"  can  bear  me  ivitness,^^  and  all  the  estate  of  the  el- 
ders :  from  whom  also  I  received  letters  unto  the 
brethren,  i.  c.  to  the  Jews,  and  went  to  Damascus,  to 
bring  them  that  were  there,  bound  unto  Jerusalem, 
that  they  might  be  punished. 

6.  And  it   came   to  pass   that  as  I  made  my  jour- 


xxii.  1—29.)  ACTS.  229 

iiej,  and  was  come  nigh  unto  Damascus,  about  noon, 
suddenly  there  shone  from  heaven  a  great  light  round 
about  me  ; 

7.  And  I  fell  unto  the  ground,  and  heard  a  voice, 
saying  unto  me,  Saul,  Saul,  why  persecutest  thou  me  ? 

8.  And  I  answered,  Who  art  thou,  Lord  ?  And 
he  said  unto  me,  I  am  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  whom  thou 
persecutest. 

9.  And  they  that  were  with  me  saw  indeed  the 
light,  and  were  afraid  ;  but  they  heard  not  the  voice 
of  him  that  spake  to  me. 

The  former  account  of  this  transaction  says,  that  the  persons  who 
accompanied  Paul  heard  a  voice,  but  sa\7  no  man  ;  it  is  probable, 
therefore,  that  they  heard  a  noise,  although  no  articulate  sound,  not 
being  near  enough  for  that  purpose.  This  supposition  will  reconcile 
the  two  accounts. 

10.  And  I  said.  What  shall  I  do.  Lord  ?  and  the 
Lord  said  unto  me.  Arise,  and  go  into  Damascus,  and 
there  it  shall  be  told  thee  of  all  things  which  are  ap- 
pointed for  thee  to  do. 

n.  And  when  I  could  not  see  for  the  glory  of 
that  light,  for  its  excessive  brightness,  being  led  by 
the  hand  of  those  that  were  with  me,  I  came  to  Da- 
mascus. 

12.  And  one  Ananias,  a  devout  man  according  to 
the  law,  having  a  good  report  of  all  the  Jews  that 
dwelt  there,  (and  therefore  not  likely  to  be  concerned 
in  an  imposture,) 

13.  Came  unto  me,  and  stood,  and  said  unto  me. 
Brother  Saul,  receive  thy  sight  ;  and  the  same  hour, 
"  the  same  moment,''''  I  looked  upon  him,  i.  e.  my  sight 
ivas  restored. 

The  former  account  informs  us  that  this  visit  was  made  to  Paul, 
in  consequence  of  a  vision  with  which  Ananias  was  favoured,  di- 
recting him  to  go. 

14.  And  he  said,  the  God  of  our  fathers  hath 
chosen  thee,  that  thou  shouldest  know  his  will,  and 
see  that  Just  One,  and  shouldest  hear  the  voice  of  his 
mouth. 

Jesus  of  Nazareth  is  denominated  the  Just  One,  more  than  once 


230  ACTS.  (xxii.  1—29. 

in  tliis  history,  Acts  iii.  14,  vii.  02  ;  and  the  appellation  seems  to 
have  been  borrowed  from  2  Sam.  xxiii.  3,  where  the  Messiah  is  fore- 
told under  that  name,  when  the  language  is  properly  translated.* 

15.  For  tlioa  slialt  be  his  witness  unto  all  men  of 
what  thou  hnst  seen  and  heard. 

16.  And  now,  why  tarriest  thou  ?  "  why  delayest 
thouP^  Arise,  and  be  baptized,  ^^  get  thyself  baptiz- 
erf,"  and  wash  away  thy  sins,  calling  upon  the  name 
of  the  Lord,  "  calling  thyself  after  the  name  of  the 
Lord:' 

Two  things  are  worthy  of  observation  in  this  verso  :  First,  that 
baptism  is  said  to  wash  away  sins,  and  that  these  sins,  therefore, 
could  not  be  moral  guilt,  but  n)ust  be  some  kind  of  ceremonial  un- 
cleanness,  something  which  belonged  to  all  mankind  who  had  not 
faith  in  Christ,  both  Jews  and  (;Jentiles,  whatever  their  character 
niight  be,  the  virtuous  as  well  as  the  vicious.  Atjreeably  to  this  lan- 
guage, we  are  said  to  be  justified  and  saved  by  faith;  and  the  blood 
of  Christ,  which  established  the  truth  of  the  new  covenant,  is  said  to 
be  shed  for  the  remission  of  sins,  and  to  cleanse  from  all  sin. 
From  inattention  to  this  meaning  of  the  word  sin,  in  Scripture,  and 
particularly  in  the  writings  of  Paul,  many  professors  of  Christianity 
have  fallen  into  the  grossest  mistakes  in  intt^r[>reting  the  language  of 
the  iNew  Testament.  Tiie  second  thing  which  deserves  notice  is, 
that  Paul  is  nut  here  directed,  as  some  have  erroneously  supposed, 
to  address  his  prayers  to  Christ  ;  for  he  is  exliorted  not  to  call  iijjon 
the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  after  baptism,  but  to  call  himself 
after  his  name,  i.  e.  to  become  a  follower  or  disciple  of  Christ.  Nor 
is  there  any  passage  of  Scripture,  which  authorizes  or  encourages 
Christians  of  the  present  day  to  address  tlieir  prayers  unto  hin)  : 
on  the  contrary,  when  the  disciples  desired  to  be  taught  how  to 
pray,  he  directed  them  to  say,  Our  Father,  who  art  in  heaven. 

At  what  time  the  apostle  was  favoured  with  the  vision,  mentioned 
in  the  next  verses,  cannot  tully  be  ascertained  ;  but  it  was  probably 
on  his  first  visit  to  Jerusalem,  after  his  return  from  Arabia,  at  the 
distance  of  at  least  three  years  from  his  conversion.  He  imagined 
that  an  account  of  his  conversicm,  and  the  reasons  of  it,  after  his 
having  so  violendy  persecuted  the  Christians,  could  not  fail  to  make 
a  favourable  impression  upon  the  minds  of  his  old  acquaintance, 
and  induce  them  to  embrace  the  gospel.  With  this  expectation  he 
came  up  to  Jerusalem  ;  but  he  was  informed  by  Christ  that  he 
would  be  disappointed,  and  was  ordered  to  return. 

17.  And  it  came  to  pass,  that  when  I  was  come 
again  to  Jerusalem,  even  while  I  prayed  in  the  tem- 
ple, I  was  in  a  trance  ; 

The  Creek  word  signifies  an  ecstasy,  i.e.  a  supernatural  state  of 
mind,  in  which  prophets  were  favoured  with  visions  and  revelations. 

*  Grey  on  tlie  last  words  of  David. 


xxii.  1-^29.)  ACTS.  231 

18.  And  I  saw  him,  saying  unto  me,  Make  haste, 
and  jjct  thee  quickly  out  of  Jerusalem  ;  for  they  will 
not  receive  thy  testimony  concerning  me. 

To  this  llie  apostle  replies  by  mrntionino  his  own  violent  persecu- 
tion of  the  disciples,  as  a  ground  for  expecting,  that  the  conversion 
of  such  a  persecutor  was  liUely  to  awaken  their  attention  to  Chris- 
tianity, and  dispose  them  to  embrace  it. 

19.  And  I  said.  Lord,  they  know  that  I  imprison- 
ed, and  beat  in  every  synagogue,  them  that  believed 
on  thee  ; 

29.  And  when  the  blood  of  thy  martyr,  "  thy  unl- 
ness,'^  Stephen,  was  shed,  I,  also,  was  standing  by, 
and  consenting,  and  kept  the  raiment  of  them  that 
slew  him. 

21.  And  he  said  unto  me,  Depart,  for  I  will  send 
thee  far  hence,  unto  the  Gentiles. 

22.  And  thpy  gave  him  audience  unto  this  word, 
and  then  lifted  up  their  voices,  and  said,  Away  with 
such  a  fellow  from  the  earth  ;  for  it  is  not  fit  that  he 
should  live. 

As  soon  as  his  mission  to  the  Gentiles  was  mentioned,  all  their 
former  rage  against  him  returned,  because  they  imagined  that  he  was 
going  to  say,  that  the  Jews  were  to  be  rejected,  and  the  Gentiles  in- 
troduced into  their  place  ;    the  crime  with  which  they  charged  him. 

23.  And  as  they  cried  out,  and  cast  off  their 
clothes,  "  shook  their  garments,^^  and  threw  dust  into 
the  air,  actions  expressive  of  their  abhorrence  of  ivhat 
he  said ; 

24.  The  chief  captain  commanded  him  to  he 
brought  into  the  castle,  and  bade  that  he  should  be 
examined,  ''put  to  the  torture,^^  by  scourging,  that  he 
might  know  wherefore  they  cried  so  against  him. 

The  chief  captain,  not  understanding  Hebrew,  might  not  know 
what  it  was  in  Paul's  speech  which  gave  them  so  much  offence. 

25.  And  as  they  bound  him  with  thongs,  Paul 
said  unto  the  centurion.  Is  it  lawful  for  you  to  scourge 
a  man  that  is  a  Roman,  and  uncondemned  ? 

These  words  imply,  that  it  was  customary  with  Romans  to  exam- 
ine by  the  torture,  in  order  to  discover  crimes  ;  that  this  torture  was 
inflicted  by  scourging  or  whipping  ;  but  that  it  was  unlawful  to 
scourge  a  Roman,  especially    uncondemned,  and    not  legally  con- 


232  ACTS.  (xxii.  1—29. 

victed  of  any  crime.  So  much  is  implied  in  the  question  of  Paul ; 
and  tiie  truth  of  what  is  here  supposed  has  been  confirmed  by  the 
testimony  of  Roman  writers.* 

26.  WliLMi  the  centurion  heard  that,  he  went  and 
told  the  cliiet'  captain,  saying.  Take  heed  what  thoa 
doest  ;  for  this  man  is  a  Roman. 

27.  Then  the  chief  captain  came,  and  said  unto 
him,  Tell  me,  art  thou  a  Roman  ?     He  said,  Yea. 

28.  And  the  chief  captain  answered,  With  a  great 
sum  obtained  I  this  freedom.  And  Paul  said,  But  I 
was  free  born. 

29.  Then  straightway  they  departed  from  him 
that  should  have  examined  him,  '•  that  were  about  to 
put  him  to  the  torture,'^''  the  chief  captain  having  satis- 
fied himself,  thai  lohat  Paul  said,  was  true ;  and  the 
chief  captain  also  was  afraid,  after  he  knew  that  he 
was  a  Roman,  and  becausef  he  had  bound  him. 


REFLECTIONS. 

1.  It  deserves  to  be  noticed  what  confirmation  the  account  given 
by  Paul,  of  the  manner  of  his  conversion,  receives  from  the  circum- 
stances in  which  it  was  delivered  : — in  the  presence  of  his  bitterest 
enemies,  who  heard  him  with  patience  while  relating  the  transac- 
tion, but  who  would  not  have  failed  to  contradict  and  silence  him, 
had  it  been  known  to  be  false:  in  the  city  of  Jerusalem,  where  the 
high-priest  and  elders  resided,  from  wftfem  he  had  received  his  com- 
mission, and  to  whom  he  now  appeals  for  the  truth  of  what  he  says, 
where  several  of  his  companions  were  still  living,  w  ho  attended  him 
on  his  journey.  But  neitlier  his  former  companions,  nor  the  high- 
priest  or  elders  take  any  cfieclual  methods  to  prove  the  falsehood  of 
the  narration  ;  for  the  story  prevails,  and  gains  increasing  credit. 
A  report,  which  could  pass  uncontradicted  in  such  circumstances, 
must  be  true.     Nothing  but  truth  could  have  stood  such  a  test. 

2.  How  unjust  and  cruel  the  practice  of  putting  men  to  the  lor- 
ture,  to  compel  them  (o  confession  !  This  is  to  make  suspicion  of 
guilt  the  ground  of  punishnient,  and  to  inflict  suffering  where  there 
is  a  presumption  of  innocence  :  it  is  to  tempt  men  to  become  invol- 
untary accusers  of  themselves  or  others,  of  crimes  which  they  have 
never  committed,  in  order  to  put  an  end  to  snflerings  which  they  are 
no  longer  able  to  endure.  It  is  as  inconsistent  with  humanity  as  with 
the  principles  of  equity  and  justice.  Wretched,  indeed,  must  be  that 

*  Lardiicr,  Vol.  I.  pp.  221—223. 

t  Wakefield,  on  the  authority  of  the  yEthiopic  version,  omits  tills  last  clause. 


xxii.30.  ;  xxiii.  1— 11.)      ACTS.  233 

government  which  authorizes  or  encourages  such  treatment ;  yet^it  has 
prevailed  among  nations  who  have  called  themselves  enlightened  and 
civilized,  among  the  professed  friends  and  advocates  of  freedom,  but 
who  had  no  claim  to  this  character  ;  among  the  Uomans  in  ancient 
times,  among  the  modern  nations  of  Europe,  and  even  by  some  in 
our  own  day.  But  the  custom  is  equally  odious  by  whomsoever 
practised,  and  cannot  be  too  much  reprobated. 


SECTION  XXXVIII. 


Paul  defends  li'imself  before  the  Sanhedrim.     A  dissension  arising, 
he  is  brought  back  to  the  castle. 

Acts  xxii.  30.;  .\xiii.  1 — 11. 

30.  On  the  morrow,  because  he  would  have 
known,  "  because  he  wished  to  know,^^  the  certainty, 
wherefore  he  was  accused  of  the  Jews,  he  loosed  hina 
from  his  bands,  and  commanded  the  chief  priest  and 
all  the  council,  "  the  whole  Sanhedrim^''''  to  appear, 
and  brought  Paul  down,  and  set  him  before  them. 

As  he  had  been  accused  of  doing  things  against  the  law,  and 
against  the  temple,  the  charge  was  of  a  religious  nature,  and,  there- 
fore, properly  cognizable  by  the  Sanhedrim,  to  whom  the  care  of  re- 
ligion was  entrusted. 

1.  And  Paul,  earnestly  beholding  the  council, 
said,  Brethren,  I  have  lived  in  all  good  conscience  be- 
fore God  until  this  day. 

He  looked  steadily  at  the  council,  to  discover  whether  he  could 
recollect  any  of  their  persons,  having  been  formerly  acquainted  with 
them.  He  might,  wilhgood  reason,  say  this  of  himself  while  a  iew, 
no  less  than  while  he  was  a  Christian  ;  for  he  acted  from  convic- 
tion in  one  case  as  well  as  in  the  other  ;  but,  as  it  was  his  conduct  as 
a  Christian  that  was  called  in  question  upon  the  present  occasion,  it 
is  probable,  that  he  refers  to  that  period  of  his  life  which  succeeded 
his  conversion,  and  that  he  meaas  to  assert,  with  a  solemn  appeal  to 
an  omniscient  Being  for  the  truth  of  what  he  says,  that  he  had  acted 
from  the  dictates  of  conscience  in  embracing  the  gospel  at  first,  and 
in  preaching  it  afterwards,  and  not  from  any  selfish  and  dishonoura- 
ble motive.  Nothing  could  be  more  proper  for  vindicating  himself, 
than  such  an  assertion  before  his  present  audience,  who  were  assem- 
bled for  the  purpose  of  inquiring  into  his  conduct :  but  to  the  high- 
priest,  who  was  greatly  inflamed  with  prejudice  against  him,  it  ap- 

VOL.  HI.  2   F 


234  ACTS.  (xxiii.  1—11. 

peared  to  savour  too  much  of  boasting,  in  one  who  was  brought  as  a 
prisoner  before  iiim,  with  such  heavy  crimes  laid  to  his  charge.  He, 
therefore,  commanded  him  to  be  smitten  on  the  face. 

2.  And  the  high-piicst,  Ananias,  commanded  them 
that  sood  by  him  to  smite  him  on  the  mouth  "  o?i  Hie 

face.'' 

This  was  an  act  of  gross  injustice  to  a  man  who  had  yet  been  con- 
victed of  no  crime,  and  was  called  before  the  council  only  for  the 
purpose  of  being  examined,  and  might  well  betray  the  apostle  into 
some  warmth. 

3.  Then  said  Paul  unto  him,  God  sliall  smite  thee, 
"  is  about  to  smite  thee,''  thou  whitod  wall  :  for  sittest 
thou  to  judge  me  after  the  law,  and  commandest  me 
to  be  smitten  contrary  to  the  law  ? 

In  calling  the  high-priest  a  wliited  wall,  the  a])Ostle  has  recourse 
to  the  same  kind  of  image  as  that  which  was  employed  by  Christ, 
when  he  said,  that  the  Pharisees  were  like  whited  sepulchres,  which 
appear  fair  outwardly,  but  within  are  full  of  rotten  carcasses.  Of 
the  same  kind  was  the  character  of  this  high-priest,  who,  pretending 
to  observe  the  forms  of  law,  was  guilty  of  the  grossest  injustice. 
Examples,  indeed,  of  similar  treatment  were  to  be  found  in  the  Jew- 
ish history;  for  Zedekiah,  the  son  of  Chenaniah,  ordered  Micaiah 
the  prophet  to  be  smitten  on  the  face,  wiicn  he  delivered  a  prophe- 
cy with  which  he  was  not  pleased  ;  and  Pashur  the  governor,  or- 
dered Jeremiah  to  be  treated  in  the  same  manner,*  on  a  like  occa- 
sion. The  conduct  of  the  high-priest,  in  this  case,  was  contrary  to 
the  express  language  of  the  law,  which  forbade  them  to  do  unright- 
eousness in  judgment  ;  and  to  its  whole  spirit  and  tenor,  the  great 
end  of  it  being  to  administer  justice  on  the  principles  of  equity. 

By  saying,  "  God  will  smite  thee,"  or,  "  is  about  to  smite  thee," 
the  apostle  has  been  supposed  to  utter  a  prophecy,  predicting  the 
speedy  destruction  of  the  high-priest,  which  was  fulfilled  iu  his  vio- 
lent end  about  five  years  afterwards,  at  the  beginning  of  the  Jewish 
wars.  But  perhaps  he  meant  to  express  no  more,  than  that  (Jod 
would  punish  him  for  this  brutal  action  at  the  period  when  all  in- 
justice will  meet  with  its  reward. 

4.  And  they  that  stood  by,  said,  Revilest  thou 
God's  high-priest .'' 

The  office  was  originally  appointed  by  God,  and  Aaron  chosen 
to  it  by  the  particular  destination  of  the  Divine  Being,  From  him  it 
was  to  descend  in  succession  to  the  eldest  son  of  the  family.  In  one 
sense,  therefore,  the  high-priest  was  God's  high-priest  ;  but  every 
one  that  filled  the  office  was  not  appointed  by  God,  much  less  did 
he  behave  in  a  manner  becoming  his  sacred  trust. 

5.  Then  said  Paul,  I  wist  not,  "  I  knew  not,"   or 

■*  1  Kings  xxii.  24.        Jer.  xx.  2. 


xxiii.  1—11.)  ACTS.  235 

"  /  did  not  consider,^^*  that  he  was  the  high-priest  : 
for  it  is  written,  Thou  shalt  not  speak  evil  oi",  "  Thou 
shah  not  revile^''''  the  ruler  of  thy  people. 

It  is  not  easy  to  conceive  how  P;iul  could  be  really  ignorant  in 
respect  to  the  hiuh-priest  ;  for  his  dress  and  station  would  sufficient- 
ly point  him  out,  it"  he  had  been  unacquainted  with  his  person.  His 
language,  therefore,  must  be  supposed  to  refer  to  want  of  consider- 
ation, rather  than  to  ignorance.  It  is  as  if  he  had  said,  Excuse  the 
language  which  I  have  used  ;  the  warmth  of  my  indignation  has  led 
nie  to  speak  too  freely  of  this  personage,  and  made  me  forget  the 
decorum  due  to  his  character,  even  when  he  acts  in  a  manner  unwor- 
thy of  his  ofiicc.  Had  I  duly  considered  this  circumstance,  and  the 
language  of  Scripture,  I  should  not  have  used  this  freedom. 

Paul  has  now  recourse  to  a  stratagem,  in  order  to  defeat  the  ma- 
licious purposes  of  his  enemies,  by  sowing  dissensions  among  them. 
His  language  was  undoubtedly  ambiguous,  and  understood  with 
greater  latitude  by  other  persons  than  by  himself;  for  when  he  calls 
himself  a  Pharisee,  he  does  not  mean  to  say,  that  he  embraced  all 
the  sentiments  of  that  sect.  Some  may,  therefore,  doubt  how  far 
the  apostle's  conduct,  on  this  occasion,  was  strictly  proper.  This  is 
a  question  into  which  I  shall  not  now  enter,  but  shall  content  my- 
selt'with  observing,  that  it  is  not  necessary  for  Chiistians  to  main- 
tain, that  the  apostle  was,  on  every  occasion,  free  from  mistake.  It 
is  sufficient  for  their  purpose  if  he  never  acted  wrongly  from  in- 
tention. 

6.  But  when  Paul  perceived  that  the  one  part 
were  Sadducees  and  the  other  Pharisees,  he  cried  out 
in  the  council,  Brethren,  I  am  a  Pharisee,  the  son  of 
a  Pharisee  ;  of  the  hope  and  resurrection  of  the  dead, 
''''for  the  hope  and  for  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,''^ 
I  am  called  in  question,  "  I  a7n  judged^ 

Christianity  must  have  been  particular!}'  obnoxious  to  the  Saddu- 
cees, on  account  of  the  clear  manner  in  which  it  taught  the  doctrine 
of  a  resurrection,  and  the  strong  evidence  which  it  afilbrds  for  this 
truth,  by  the  resurrection  of  Jesus.  Their  enmity  to  Psul  might 
justly  be  said  to  arise  from  his  being  so  illustrious  an  advocate  for 
that  cause. 

7.  And  when  he  had  so  said,  there  arose  a  dissen- 
sion between  the  Pharisees  and  the  Sadducees  ;  and 
the  multitude  was  divided. 

8.  For  the  Sadducees  say  that  there  is  no  resur- 
rection, neither  angel  nor  spirit  :  but  the  Pharisees 
confess  both. 

The  Sadducees  maintained  that  the  angels  mentioned  in  Scripture 

*  Pearce's  Note  on  Matthew  xxii.29. 


236  ACTS.  (xxiii.  1—11. 

were  not  permanent  existences,  but  beings,  or  rather  pliantoms, 
raised  u|)  for  the  occasion  on  which  the}'  were  employed  ;  and  as 
they  denied  the  existence  of  angels,  so  they  did  likewise  that  of  any 
other  beinsis  of  a  similar  nature,  which  men  have  called  spirits,  and 
asserted  that  the  Deity  was  the  only  immaterial  Being  in  the  uni- 
verse. In  these  opinions,  with  the  exception  only  of  that  which  re- 
gards the  resurrection,  many  professors  of  Christianity  of  the  pre- 
sent day  will  think  they  were  not  far  from  the  truth.  The  reason 
why  angels  are  mentioned  here  by  the  historian,  is  to  account  for  tlie 
language  of  the  next  verse. 

9.  And  there  arose  ii  great  cry,  and  the  scribes 
that  were  of  the  Pharisees'  part,  arose,  and  strove, 
saying,  We  find  no  evil  in  this  man  :  but  if  a  spirit 
or  an  angel  hatli  spoken  to  him,  lot  us  not  fight 
against  God. 

In  saying  that  an  angel  might  possibly  have  spoken  to  Paul,  they 
refer  to  tiin  story  which  he  had  told  of  his  conversion,  of  his  having 
seen  Jesus  in  the  way  to  Damascus,  and  having  heard  him  speak 
to  him. 

10.  And  when  there  arose  a  great  dissension,  the 
chief  captain,  fearing  lest  Paul  should  have  been  pull- 
ed in  pieces  of  them,  commanded  the  soldiers  to  go 
down,  and  to  take  hiin  by  force  from  among  them, 
and  to  bring  him  into  the  castle. 

11.  And  the  night  following,  the  Lord,  i.  e.  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord,  stood  by  him,  and  said.  Be  of  good 
cheer,  Paul,  "  take  courage ;"  for  as  thou  hast  testifi- 
ed of  me  in  Jerusalem,  so  must  thou  bear  witness 
also  at  Rome. 

This  seems  to  have  been  an  appearance  of  Jesus  Christ  to  Paul, 
not  in  vision,  like  that  in  the  temple,  but  in  person,  and  will  serve  to 
explain  1  Thess.  iii.  11,  "  Now  God  himself  and  our  father,  and  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  direct  our  way  unto  you  ;"  for  he  prays  for  such  a 
miraculous  appearance  of  Christ  to  him  to  direct  his  journey  as  he 
had  enjoyed  upon  the  present  occasion.  It  must  be  remembered 
that  the  apostle  was  called  to  the  profession  of  Christianity  :  was  in- 
structed in  its  doctrines,  and  invested  with  the  apostolic  office  by 
Christ  ;  and  he  appears  from  this  and  other  passages,  to  have  been 
in  all  his  progress,  under  his  special  direction.  It  might,  therefore, 
be  very  proper  in  him  to  ofler  up  an  address  to  Christ:  but  this  is 
no  warrant  for  our  addresses  to  him,  which  would  indeed  be  contrary 
to  his  express  authority,  and  idolatrous.  The  apostle's  circum- 
stances were  peculiar  ;  and  he  is  not,  in  this  respect,  an  example  to 
Christians  in  general. 


1_11.)  ACTS.  237 


REFLECTIONS. 

1.  How  happy  was  the  apostle,  in  being  able  to  say,  when  a 
prisoner, accused  of  crime  before  the  Jewish  Sanhedrim,  "  1  have 
lived  in  all  good  conscience  before  God  until  this  day. '  It  is,  in- 
deed, his  own  testimonv  in  favour  of  himself;  yet  the  history  ol  his 
life  proves  the  tiuth  of  his  declaration.  Nothing  but  a  supreme  re- 
gard to  the  convictions  of  his  own  mind  could  have  induced  him  to 
abandon  all  worldly  prospects,  and  to  embrace  a  cause  which  was 
every  where  opposed,  and  its  advocates  persecuted,  by  his  country- 
men. For  all  his  sacrifices  and  dangers  he  received  no  other  re- 
turn than  a  consciousness  of  integrity,  and  the  approbation  of  his 
own  mind.  But  this  return  was  a  sufficient  recompense  :  it  was  a 
pledge  of  the  divine  favour  and  of  an  everlasting  reward.  It  fur- 
nished him  with  a  secret  jov  which  was  a  continual  least,  and  which 
he  mi--ht  in  vain  have  looked  for  from  wealth,  or  honour,  or  any 
tempo°ral  enjoyment.  It  made  the  prisoner  at  the  bar  more  to  be 
envied  than  the  judge  who  sat  upon  the  bench.  Happy  is  the  man 
who  can  adopt  this  language,  not  only  with  respect  to  one  action, 
but  to  the  whole  tenor  of  his  life  !  The  censures  of  the  world  can- 
not wound  his  heart  or  distress  his  mind  :  he  possesses  a  treasure  of 
which  he  cannot  be  deprived  by  any  temporal  calamity.  H  you^ 
my  brethren,  wish  to  obtain  this  prize,  pursue  the  same  course  :  fol- 
low the  dictates  of  conscience,  whithersoever  they  may  lead,  although 
they  may  expose  you  to  calumny,  suffering,  and  death. 

2.  How  odious  the  character  of  those  who  pervert  the  forms  of 
justice,  which  were  established  for  the  protection  of  innocence  ana 
"the  punishment  of  guilt,  to  gratify  their  private  passions  !  Such 
was  the  conduct  of  this  high-priest,  who  took  advantage  ol  his  situ- 
ation as  a  judue,  to  offer  a  cruel  and  unprovoked  msult  to  a  help- 
less prisoner  ;  and  if  other  judges  have  not  often  been  guilty  of  the 
like  indecency,  yet  they  have  suffered  themselves  to  be  biassed  by 
motives  which  have  proved  equally  injurious  to  the  cause  of  justice. 
They  have  allowed  their  opinions  and  language  respecting  the  guilt 
or  innocence  of  the  persons  brought  before  them  to  be  governed 
by  party  spirit,  by  the  orospect  of  favour  or  of  gam.  To  such 
men,  the  language  of  the  apostle,  however  improper  to  be  addressed 
to  them  in  the  exercise  of  their  office,  is  justly  applicable.  1  hey 
are  whited  walls;  they  bear  the  fair  show  of  candour,  equity,and 
truth  ;  but  they  are  in  reality  the  reverse  of  all  this  ;  being  full  of 
pride,  passion,  and  self-interest.  Let  such  men  know  that  a  day  is 
coming,  when  their  evil  deeds  will  be  examined  by  a  superior 
judge,  and  receive  a  just  recompense  of  reward. 


238  ACTS.  (xxiii.  12—35. 

SECTION  XXXIX. 
Tht  Jews  conspiring  to   kill  Paul,  he  is  sent  to  Cctsarea. 

Acts  xxili.  12 — 35. 

12.  And  when  it  was  day,  certain  of  the  Jews 
banded  together,  "  met  together,''^  and  bound  them- 
selves under  a  curse,  '■'■  an  oath  of  execration^'''' s'Aymg^ 
that  they  would  neither  eat  nor  drink,  till  they  had 
killed  Paul. 

They  imprecated  the  most  (]re;idfijl  calamities  upon  themselves  if 
they  violated  their  oaths. 

13.  And  they  were  more  than  forty  who  had 
made  this  conspiracy,  "  had  entered  into  this  joint 
oalh:^ 

14.  And  they  came  to  the  chief  priests  and  eld- 
ers, and  said,  We  have  bound  ourselves  with  an  oath 
of  execration  that  we  will  eat  nothing  until  we  have 
killed  Paul. 

15.  Now,  therefore,  ye,  with  the  council,  signify 
to  the  chief  captain  that  he  bring  him  down  unto  you 
to-morrow,  as  though  ye  would  inquire  something- 
more  perfectly  concerning  him  :  and  we,  or  ever 
*'  before  ever''''  he  come  near,  are  ready  to  kill  him. 

Paul's  enemies,  finding  that  they  could  not  reach  him  so  speedily 
as  thev  wished  by  the  slow  forms  of  justice,  and  fearintj;  that  he  might 
ultimately  escape,  resolve  to  take  away  his  life  with  their  own  iiands, 
and  to  have  recourse  to  stratagem  for  that  purpose.  They  persuade 
the  chief  priests  and  Sanhedrim,  or  at  least,  a  certain  number  of  that 
bodv,  who  seem  to  have  approved  of  their  wicked  project,  to  send 
for  Paul  acain,  under  pretence  of  further  examination  ;  intending  to 
lie  in  wait  for  him  by  the  way,  and  to  put  him  to  death.  That  their 
zeal  in  the  execution  of  this  diabolical  desien  might  be  quickened, 
thev  resolve  to  abstain  from  food  until  it  should  he  accomplished. 
From  the  circumstance  of  forty  persons  immediately  entering  into 
this  conspiracy,  it  seems  natural  to  conclude,  that  the  lawfulness  of 
putting  to  death  an  apostate  from  their  religion,  without  waiting  for 
the  forms  of  law,  was  a  prevailing  opinion  among  the  Jews  at  this 
time.  Accordingly  we  learn,  both  from  Philo  and  Josephus,  Jewish 
writers,  that  such  was  their  sentiment.  The  former  recon)n)ends 
the  practice  to  his  countrymen  from  the  example  of  Phineas,  men- 
tioned in  the  Old  Testament,   and  persuades  them,  when  they  meet 


xxiii.  12—35.)  ACTS.  239 

witli  such  persons,  to  reckon  themselves  to  be  all  things,  senators, 
judges,  praetors,  Serjeants,  accusers,  witnesses,  the  laws,  the  people. 
The  latter  mentions  an  instance  of  zeal  dictated  by  the  same  prin- 
ciple, very  similar  to  the  present,  in  which  ten  men  bound  themselves 
by  an  oath  to  kill  Ilerod,  who  had  departed,  in  many  instances,  from 
the  customs  of  the  country.* 

16.  And  when  Paul's  sister's  son  heard  of  their 
lying  in  wait,  i.  e.  of  their  intention  to  do  so,  he  went 
and  entered  into  the  castle  and  told  Paul. 

17.  Then  Paul  called  one  of  the  centurions  unto 
him,  and  said,  Bring  this  young  man  unto  the  chief 
captain  :  for  he  hath  a  certain  thing  to  tell  him. 

18.  So  he  took  him,  and  brought  him  to  the  chief 
captain,  and  said,  Paul,  the  prisoner,  called  me  unto 
him,  and  prayed  me  to  bring  this  young  man  unto 
thee,  who  hath  something  to  say  unto  thee. 

19.  Then  the  chief  captain  took  him  by  the  hand, 
either  as  a  mark  of  courtesy,  or  to  prevent  him  from 
making  an  attempt  against  his  life,  and  went  with 
him  aside  privately,  and  asked  him,  What  is  that  thou 
hast  to  tell  me  ? 

20.  And  he  said,  The  Jews  have  agreed  to  desire 
thee  that  thou  wouldest  bring  down  Paul  to-morrow 
into  the  council,  as  though  they  would  inquire  some- 
what of  him  more  perfectly. 

21.  But  do  not  thou  yield  unto  them  ;  for  there 
lie  in  wait  for  him,  "  there  will  lie  in  ivait  for  him,^'' 
the  ambush  was  not  yet  laid,\  of  them  more  than  forty 
men,  who  have  bound  themselves  with  an  oath  of 
execration  that  they  will  neither  eat  nor  drink  till 
they  have  killed  him,  and  now  are  they  ready,  look- 
ing for  thy  promise. 

They  are  ready  to  lay  the  ambush,  as  soon  as  thou  shalt  declare 
that  thou  wilt  bring  him  down  the  next  day. 

22.  So  the  chief  captain  then  let  the  young  man 
depart,  and  charged  him,  saying,  See  thou  tell  no 
man,  that  thou  hast  showed  these  things  to  me. 

He  was  unwilling,  perhaps,  to  provoke  these  Jews  to  acts  of  re- 
sentment against  himself,  or  feared  that  an  attempt  might  be  made,. 

*  Lardner,  Vol.  I.  p.  212.  f  Bishop  Pearce. 


240  ACTS.  (xxiii.  12—35. 

in  case  of  its  being  discovered,  to  defeat  the  plan  which  lie  had  form- 
ed for  removing  Paul  to  a  place  of  security. 

23.  And  he  called  unto  him  two  centurions,  say- 
ing, Make  ready  two  hundred  soldiers  to  go  to 
Caesarea,  and  horsemen  threescore  and  ten,  and  spear- 
men, "  body  guards,''^*  two  hundred,  at  the  third  hour 
of  the  night,  i.  e.  nine  in  the  evening. 

24.  And  provide  them  beasts,    /.  c.  a  succession  of 
them,  in  case  they  should  be  wanted,  that  they   may 
set  Paul   on,  and    bring    him  safe  unto  Felix  the  gov- 
ernor. 

25.  And  he  wrote  a  letter  after  this  manner,  "  to 
this  purpose  ;" 

26.  Claudius  Lysias  unto  the  most  excellent  gov- 
ernor Felix  sendeth  greeting,  "  sendeth  health.'''^ 

27.  This  man  was  taken  of  the  Jews,  and  would 
have  been  killed  of  them.  Then  came  I  with  an  army, 
"  loith  the  soldiers,^^  and  rescued  him,  having  under- 
stood that  he  was  a  Roman. 

This  colour  he  chooses  to  give  to  the  transaction,  in  order  to  court 
the  favour  of  a  Roman  governor,  although  it  appears  from  the  history, 
that  he  did  not  know  him  to  be  a  Roman  till  he  had  rescued  him. 

28.  And  when  I  would  have  known,  "  ivJien  I 
wished  to  know,''''  the  cause,  wherel'ore  they  accused 
him,  1  brought  him  forth  into  their  council  : 

29.  Whom  I  perceived  to  be  accused  of  ques- 
tions, "  on  some  questions,''''  of  their  law,  but  to  have 
nothing  laid  to  his  charge  worthy  of  death,  or  of 
bonds. 

30.  And  when  it  was  told  me  how  that  the  Jews 
lay  in  wait  for  the  man,  I  sent  straightway  to  thee, 
and  gave  commandment  to  his  accusers  also,  to  say 
before  thee  what  they  had  against  him.     Farewell. 

31.  Then  the  soldiers,  as  it  was  commanded  them, 
took  Paul,  and  brought  him  by  night  to  Antipatris  ; 
so  called  from  Antipaler,  the  father  of  Herod. 

32.  On  the  morrow  they  left  the  horsemen  to  go 

*  Schlcusncr. 


xxiii.  12—35.)  ACTS.  241 

with  him  being  now  out  of  all  danger  of  interrwption 
from  the  Jews,  and  returned  to  the  castle  : 

SS.  Who,  when  they  came  to  Csesarea,  and  de- 
livered the  epistle  to  the  governor,  presented  Paul 
also  before  him. 

This  was  not  the  settled  residence  of  the  governor  at  this  time  ; 
but  he  happened  to  be  at  this  place,  while  on  his  visit  to  different 
parts  of  the  province.     It  was  distant  seventy  miles  from  Jerusalem. 

34.  And  when  the  governor  had  read  the  letter, 
he  asked  of  what  province  he  was,  and  when  he  un- 
derstood that  he  was  of  Cilicia  ; 

^b.  I  will  hear  thee,  said  he,  when  thy  accusers 
also  come.  And  he  commanded  him  to  be  kept  in 
Herod's  judgment-hall. 

This  was  a  palace  built  by  Ilerod,  when  he  beautified  and  en- 
larged the  city  of  Cfesarea. 


REFLECTIONS. 


The  most  remarkable  circumstance  in  this  story,  which  is  related 
with  too  much  simplicity  and  plainness  to  require  any  comment,  is 
the  illustration  which  itV'ves  of  the  fatal  tendency  of  religious  big- 
otry.    In  the  first  part  of  the  chapter  we  behold  the  high-priest,  in 
the  sacred  office  of  a  judge,  animated  with   religious  zpal,  grossly 
violating  the    duties  of  his   station.      Here   we  find   the  common 
people,  from  the  same  cause,  deviating  still  further  from  the  roles  of 
justice  and  propriety.      They   form    the  dreadful  resolution  of  im- 
bruing their  hands  "in  the  blood  of  an  innocent  and  illustrious  man, 
and,  ^o   render  their  efforts    more   effectual,    they   combine  their 
forces.     Lest  their  zeal  should    cool   or   their  efforts  slacken,  they 
lav  themselves  under  the  most  solemn    obligations  which   thoy  can 
devise,  not  to  taste    food  until  it  be  accomplished.     Tiie  artful  plot 
is  laid,  the  several  steps  bv  which  they   sliall  approach  their  victim 
are  marked  out,  and  thev  are  already  furnished  with  the  weapons  of 
death  for    executing  their  diabolical   design.      No  remorse  of  con- 
science, no  pity  for  the  sufferer,  no  fear  of  offending  Heaven  touches 
their  hearts  and  betravs  the  secret,  but  the  imprudence  ot  their  own 
zeal.     They    communicate  their   design  without  shame  or  fear,  to 
the  Jewish  council.       And  could    it  be  religion  which  thus  divested 
men   of  humanity,  and   inspired  them  with  the  fury  of  the    beasts 
which  roam  the  desert  ?      So    they   pretended,  ancl,  probably,  be- 
lieved.      Thev    thought  that   they  were  doing  God  service,  by  at- 
tempting to  rid  the    world  of  the  most  active  and  inveterate  foe  of 
their  religion.       They  already  applauded  themselves  for  their  pious 

YOL.   III.  2    G 


242  ACTS.  (xxiv.  1—21. 

intention,  and  were  ready  to  pronounce  the  crime  of  unprovoked 
murder  the  noblest  action  of  their  lives.  Cut  in  framincf  this  wick- 
ed project,  true  religion  had  no  share.  The  authors  of  it  were  ani- 
mated with  pride  and  implacable  resentment  ;  they  could  not  bear 
to  see  their  opmioiis  opposed  —  to  sec  the  cause,  which  they  sup- 
ported, overthrown  or  declining.  Their  zeal  is  not  the  oflspring 
of  benevolence,  but  issues  from  the  gloomy  region  of  hatred  and 
malice. 

The  conduct  of  these  zealots,  these  bloody  assassins,  exhibits  a 
picture  of  religious  bigotry,  which  fills  every  spectator  with  horror. 
But  let  us  not  imagine  that  the  spriril  which  they  manifested  is  pe- 
culiar to  themselves.  It  is  still  to  be  seen,  though  in  an  inferior 
degree,  among  every  class  of  Christians,  where  impositions  are  at- 
tempted upon  conscience,  where  artifice  or  violence  are  employed  to 
maintain  truth,  or  to  stop  the  progress  of  apprehended  error.  True 
religion  disdains  such  aids  :  she  appeals  solely  to  the  understand- 
ings of  men  for  support  ;  and  the  only  weapons  which  she  employs 
for  defending  herself  or  overcoming  an  adversary,  are  reason  and 
argument.     With  these  all  her  sincere  followers  are  contented. 


SECTION  XL. 

Paul  makes  his  defence  before  Felix. 

Acts  xxiv.  1 — 21. 

1.  And  after  five  days,  Ananias  the  high-priest 
descended  with  the  elders,  the  members  of  the  Sanhe- 
drim, so  called,  because  genercdly  persons  advanced  in 
life,  and  with  a  certain  orator  named  Tertullus,  who 
informed  the  governor  against  Paul. 

2.  And  when  he  was  called  forth,  Tertullus  be- 
gan to  accuse  him,  saying,  Seeing  that  by  thee  we 
enjoy  great  quietness,  and  that  very  worthy  deeds  are 
done  unto  this  nation  by  thy  providence,  "  thy  pru- 
dence,^'' 

3.  We  accept  it  always  and  in  all  places,  most  no- 
ble Felix,  with  all  thankfulness. 

This  passage  has  been  more  intelligibly  rendered,  "  seeing  that 
we  enjoy  great  quietness,  and  that  all  things  go  on  well  with  this 
nation,  through  thy  prudence,  at  all  times,  and  in  all  places,  we 
acknowledge  it,  most  noble  Felix."  Notwithstanding  this  flattering 
address  to  Felix,  the  Jews  were  so  dissatisfied  with  his  government, 
that  two  years  afterwards,  when  he  left  the  province,  they  followed 
him  with  their  complaints  to  Rome  ;  and  nothing  saved  him  from 
exemplary  punishment,  but  the  powerful    interest  of  friends.     He 


xxlv.  1—21.)  ACTS.  243 

had  conducted  himself,  indeed,  with  some  pr()dence  and  resolution, 
in  suppressing  the  religious  contentions  which  arose  between  the 
Romans  and  the  Jews,  and  in  detecting  some  impostors  ;  but  the 
character,  generally  given  of  hin),  is  that  of  a  bad  governor.  Taci- 
tus, the  Roman  historian,  says,  that  while  he  was  procurator  of 
Judaea,  he  acted  in  a  very  arbitrary  manner,  and  scrupled  no  kind 
of  injustice.  A  memorable  instance  of  this  is  mentioned  by  Jose- 
phus,  who  tells  us,  that  with  a  sum  of  money  he  had  caused  Jona- 
than the  high-priest  to  be  assassinated,  because  he  remonstrated 
with  him  on  the  errors  of  his  administration. 

4.  Notwithstanding,  that  I  be  not  further  tedious 
unto  thee,  I  pray  thee  that  thou  wouldest  hear  us  of 
thy  clemency,   '•  of  thy  goodness,''''  a  few  words. 

3.  For  we  have  found  this  man  a  pestilent  fellow, 
and  a  mover  of  sedition  among  all  the  Jews,  or, 
"  against  all  the  Jews,''''  throughout  the  world,  and  a 
ringleader  of  the  sect  of  the  Nazarenes  ; 

6.  Who  also  hath  gone  about  to  profane  the  tem- 
ple :  whom  we  took,  and  would  have  judged  accord- 
ing to  our  law. 

Such  is  the  representation  which  he  thinks  proper  to  give  of  the 
irregular  conduct  of  a  tumultuous  assembly  of  the  people,  who  were 
going  to   put  Paul  to  death  without  a  trial. 

7.  But  the  chief  captain  Lysias  came  upon  us, 
and,  with  great  violence,  took  him  away  out  of  our 
hands  ; 

8.  Commanding  his  accusers  to  come  unto  thee  ; 
by  examining  of  whom  thyself  mayest  take  knowledge 
of  all  these  things  whereof  we  accuse  him. 

6.  And  the  Jews  also  assented,  saying  that  these 
things  were  so. 

The  circumstance  of  the  high-priest  and  elders  of  the  Jews  being 
ordered  to  accuse  Paul  before  Felix,  the  Roman  governor,  is  a 
plain  proof  of  the  state  of  subjection  to  which  the  Jews  were  at  this 
time  reduced,  and  of  their  having  lost  the  power  of  life  and  death  ;, 
while  the  language  which  they  instructed  their  advocate  to  use,  al- 
most every  word  of  which  is  false,  sufficiently  shows  how  much  the 
minds  of  the  first  men  in  the  state  were  corrupted.  To  this  invec-^ 
tive,  Paul  replies  with  perfect  calmness  and  self-possession. 

10.  Then  Paul,  after  that  the  governor  had  beck- 
oned unto  him,  "  had  nodded  unto  him,''''  to  speak, 
answered  :  For  as  much  as   I    know  that   thou  hast 


244  ACTS.  (xxiv.  1—21. 

been  of  many  years  a  judge  unto  this  nation,  I  do  the 
more  cheerfully  answer  for  myself: 

Paul  begins  his  dofence  with  bespeaking  a  favourable  hearing 
from  his  judge,  not,  like  Tertullus,  by  fulsome  compliments,  but  by 
taking  notice  of  the  long  time  whicli  he  had  presided  over  the  pro- 
vince, and  of  his  being  well  qualified,  from  his  knowledge  ot  Jewish 
affairs,  and  especially  of  the  peacable  behaviour  of  the  Christians, 
to  form  an  impartial  judgment  in  this  matter. 

11.  Because  that  thou  mayest  understand,  '''■thou 
maijest  knoiv,^^  that  there  are  yet  but  twelve  days 
since  I  went  up  to  Jerusalem  for  to  worship. 

The  circumstances,  which  I  am  going  to  mention,  arc  recent  :  I 
may,  therefore,  be  easily  contradicted,  if  they  are  not  true. 

12.  And  they  neither  found  me  in  the  temple  dis- 
puting with  any  man,  neither  raising  up  the  people, 
either  in  the  synagogues  or  in  the  city  : 

\3.  Neither  can  they  prove  the  things  whereof 
they  now  accuse  me. 

This  is  his  answer  to  the  charge  of  sedition,  in  which  he  denies 
that  they  have  any  single  fact  by  which  it  can  be  supported.  He 
next  replies  to  the  charge  of  being  the  ringleader  of  a  sect  or 
heresy. 

14.  But  this  I  confess  unto  thee,  that  after  the 
way  which  they  call  heresy,  so  worship  I,  "  so  serve  /," 
the  God  of  my  fathers,  believing  all  things  which  are 
written  in  the  law  and  the  prophets; 

15.  And  have  hope  toward  God,  which  they 
themselves  also  allow,  "  whicli  they  themselves  also 
entertain^''''  that  there  will  be  a  resurrection  of  the 
dead,  both  of  the  just  and  unjust. 

He  acknowledges  himself  to  belon"  to  the  obnoxious  sect  of 
Christians  ;  yet  mamtains  that  there  is  nothing  in  this  which  ought 
to  deprive  him  of  the  protection  which  the  Romans  extended  to 
his  countrymen,  since  he  served  the  sanie  God,  received  the  same 
sacred  books,  and  entertained  the  same  hopes.  It  appears  hence, 
that  the  Jews,  in  the  time  of  Paul,  or  at  least  the  most  numerous 
sect  of  them,  the  Pharisees,  believed  in  a  resurrection  from  the 
dead.  Josephus,  however,  informs  us  that  they  limited  this  resur- 
rection to  the  just.  Upon  what  ground  this  hope  was  first  enter- 
tained by  the  Jews  it  is  not  easy  to  determine.  Some  have  con- 
jectured that  it  was  derived  from  tradition,  founded  upon  some 
revelation  made  to  mankind  in  very  early  times.  What  the  Jews 
believed,  upon  imperfect  evidence.  Christians  were  taught  by  the 
highest  authority,  and  in  the  most  complete  manner. 


xxiv.  1—21.)  ACTS.  215 

16.  And  in  this  I  exercise  myself,  "  this  is  my 
endear  OK  r,^^  to  have  always  a  conscience  void  of  of- 
fence toward  God,  and  toward  men. 

It  is  my  study  to  be  free  from  blame,  both  in  regard  to  God  and 
man.  It  is  not  likely,  therefore,  tliat  I  should  be  guilty  of  what  is 
laid  10  my  charge. 

17.  Now  after  many  years,  i.  e.  after  an  absence 
of  many  years,  1  came  to  bring  alms  to  my  nation,  and 
offerings. 

He  mentions  offerings,  because  they  were  the  occasion  of  his 
going  into  the  temple.  This  proved  that  his  conduct  was  not  only 
free  from  blame,  but  meritorious. 

18.  Whereupon,  certain  Jews  from  Asia  found  me 
purified  in  the  temple,  neither  with  multitude  nor  with 
tumult  ; 

The  purification  was  not  confined  to  the  temple,  but  consisted  in 
an  abstinence  from  wine  and  certain  meats.  Paul  alleges  that  he 
had  brought  no  Greeks  into  the  temple,  and  excited  no  disturb- 
ance there. 

19.  .  Who  ought  to  have  been  here  before  thee  and 
object,  if  they  had  ought  against  me. 

20.  Or  else  let  these  same  here  say  if  they  have 
found  any  evil-doing  in  me,  while  1  stood  before  the 
council, 

21.  Except  it  be  for  this  one  voice,  or,  ^^  respecting 
this  one  declaration,''^  that  I  cried,  '•'■  which  I  pronounced 
aioud,^^  standing  among  them.  Touching  the  resur- 
rection of  the  dead  I  am  called  in  question  by  you 
this  day. 


REFLECTIONS. 


1.  How  unsafe  is  it  to  trust  to  the  accounts  given  of  the  char- 
acters of  men  by  different  religious  parties  !  The  disinterested 
friend  of  truth,  the  prudent,  the  peaceful  advocate  of  the  mild, 
benevolent,  and  equitable  principles  of  the  gospel,  which  inculcates 
submission  to  civil  governors,  in  every  thing  to  which  their  office 
can  reasonably  be  deemed  to  extend  ;  which  teaches  us  to  bear  in- 
juries with  patience,  to  return  good  for  evil,  to  respect  the  rights 
and  happiness  of  others  as  much  as  our  own  —  this  man  is  repre- 
sented as  the  pest  of  society,  and  a  promoter  of  sedition  and  tumult, 
throughout  the  world.      After  reading  in   the  foregoing  hbtory,  of 


245  ACTS.  (xxiv.  22—27. 

the  inveterate  hatred  of  the  Jews  against  the  Christians,  how  in 
every  city  they  stirred  up  the  rulers  or  the  people  to  ill  treat  and 
persecute  tliem,  how  are  wc  surjirisod  to  find  all  these  evil  prac- 
tices attributed  to  I'aul  and  his  friends,  and  to  hear  them  represent- 
ed as  the  authors  of  those  tumults  of  which  they  were  perpetually 
the  victims!  Yet  thus  it  is  that  the  adversaries  of  the  truth  in  all 
ages  have,  with  malicious  artifice,  imputed  their  own  faults  to  their 
opponents,  and  endeavour  to  conceal  their  own  guilt  by  boldly 
charging  it  upon  others.  Let  not  those  who  experiencQ  such  treat- 
ment, however,  be  discouraged  by  it  :  they  are  fellow-suflerers  with 
the  most  illustrious  characters  that  ever  appeared  on  the  stage  of  the 
world.  Let  them  calmly  and  resolutely  pursue  their  course, 
through  evil  report  and  good  report  ;  justifying  their  conduct  when 
an  opijorlunity  occurs  of  doing  it,  with  any  probability  of  success, 
yet  not  too  anxious  to  wipe  ofi"  all  aspersions,  and  trusting  to  im- 
partial posterity  to  do  them  that  justice  which  the  present  age  may 
deny.  From  the  example  here  mentioned,  let  wise  and  reflecting 
men  learn  this  maxim  of  prudence:  —  AVhen  they  hear  opinions 
branded  with  the  name  of  heresy,  or  characters  vilified  as  destitute 
of  every  principle  of  goodness,  not  to  trust  with  implicit  faith  in 
such  representations,  but  to  inquire  and  judge  for  themselves. 
They  may  then  find,  that  these  troublers  of  Israel,  these  pests 
of  society,  are  honest  and  upright  men,  faithfully  discharging 
their  duty,  and  that  their  supposed  errors  are  important  and  use- 
ful truths. 

2.  How  noble  was  the  conduct  of  the  apostle,  and  how  worthy 
of  our  imitation,  in  making  it  his  endeavour  to  be  free  from  blame 
with  regard  to  both  God  and  man.  This  was  to  make  truth,  piety, 
and  justice,  compassion,  candour,  and  equity,  the  rule  of  his  con- 
duct—  principles  which  ennoble  the  human  mind,  and  raise  it  al- 
most to  the  character  of  divine.  Armed  with  the  consciousness  of 
being  actuated  by  such  principles,  he  had  nothing  to  fear  from  his 
enemies  ;  their  foulest  calumnies  cannot  disturb  his  peace  ;  the 
severest  tortures  which  they  are  able  to  inflict,  cannot  deprive  him 
of  self-enjoyment.  With  this  treasure,  having  nothing,  he  pos- 
sessed all  things.  If  you,  my  brethren,  wish  to  attain  the  same 
dignity  and  worth  ;  if  you  wish  to  secure  solid  and  lasting  peace, 
propose  to  yourselves  the  same  object  ;  follow  the  same  course. 


SECTION  XLI. 

Paul  defends  himself  first   before  Felix,   and  afterwards   before 
Festus  ;  from  lohovi  he  appeals  to  Cccsar. 

Acts  xxiv.  22—27. ;  xjtv.  1—12. 

22.  And  when  Felix  heard  these  things,  he  put 
them  off,  snjing,  After  I  have  been  more  accurately 
informed  concerning  this  way,  "  this  doctrine,^''  when 


xxlv.  22—27.)  ACTS.  247 

Ljsias  the  tribune  comes  down,  I  will  take  cognizance 
of  the  affair  between  you.* 

The  common  translation  of  this  verse  would  lead  one  to  suppose, 
that  Felix  put  ofl'the  decision  of  this  matter,  because  he  had  a  more 
perfect  knowledge  of  the  Christian  doctrine,  and  did  not  believe 
the  accusations  of  Paul's  enemies  ;  but  this  idea  is  not  countenanc- 
ed by  the  original,  which  is  more  correctly  rendered  as  above. 
According  to  this  translation,  Felix  professes  to  delay  the  matter, 
until  it  should  be  more  thoroughly  investigated  by  the  examination 
of  Lysias,  the  person  who  had  been  engaged  in  Hrst  apprehending 
Paul.  From  the  general  character  of  this  governor,  however,  and 
especially  from  what  is  mentioned  below,  there  is  great  reason  to 
suspect  that  he  was  influenced  by  a  less  honourable  motive. 

23.  And  he  commanded  a  centurion  to  keep  Paul, 
and  to  let  him  have  liberty,  and  that  he  should  for- 
bid none  of  his  acquaintance  to  minister  or  to  come 
unto  him. 

When  Paul  was  first  apprehended  by  Lysias,  he  ordered  him  to 
be  bound  with  two  chains.  Acts  xxi.  33.  This  severity  Felix  now 
ordered  the  centurion  to  remit,  and  to  grant  him  as  much  indul- 
gence as  was  consistent  with  security.  By  this  treatment,  although 
he  had  delivered  no  opinion,  he  showed  Paul  pretty  clearly,  that  he 
thought  favourably  of  his  cause,  and  that  he  might  probably  be  in- 
duced to  release  him  entirely,  if  properly  rewarded.  But  finding 
no  offer  of  this  kind  made  to  him,  his  chains  were  again  put  on  the 
prisoner,  and  he  was  left  bound. 

24.  And  after  certain  days,  when  Felix  came 
with  his  wife  Drusilla,  who  was  a  Jewess,  he  sent 
for  Paul,  and  heard  him  concerning  the  faith  in 
Christ. 

Of  Drusilla  we  have  this  account  from  Josephus.  She  was  the 
youngest  daughter  of  Herod  Agrippa,  and  married  to  Azizus,  the 
king  of  Emesenes,  who.  to  remove  all  objections  to  the  marriage  on 
the  ground  of  religion,  had  conformed  to  the  law  of  Moses  ;  but 
Felix  having  seen  her, fell  in  love  with  her,  and  prevailed  upon  her 
by  his  agents,  to  forsake  her  husband,  and  marry  himself.t  This 
was  an  act  of  gross  injustice  and  incontinence,  as  well  as  contrary  to 
the  law  of  Moses,  which  forbade  Jews  to  form  connexions  in  mar- 
riage with  Gentiles.  Hence  the  alarm  of  Felix,  when  he  heard 
the  apostle  discoursing  of  justice,  and  continence,  and  a  judgment 
to  come.  He  was  afraid  that  Drusilla,  who  was  conscious  that  she 
had  acted  in  violation  of  the  law,  would  be  influenced  by  his  dis- 
course, and  that  his  happiness  with  her  would  be  interrupted.  In 
regard  to  himself,  he  seems  to  have  felt  no  remorse  of  conscience  ; 
for  he  sent  for  the  apostle  often,  to  converse  with  him,  and  intimat- 
ed his  readiness  to  receive  a  bribe. 

'Doddridge.  t  Lardner,  Vol.  I.  p.  25. 


243  ACTS.  (xxiv.  22—27. 

25.  And  as  he  discoursed  of  righteousness,  tem- 
perance, "  continence^''''  and  a  judgment  to  come,  Fe- 
lix trembled,  "  was  alarmed^''''  and  answered.  Go  tliy 
way  for  this  time,  '•'•  for  the  present  ;"  when  I  have  a 
convenient  season  I  will  send  for  thee. 

Although  he  felt  no  compunction  himself,  while  the  apostle  was 
insisting  upon  these  topics,  he  was  afraid  that  it  might  be  felt  by 
his  wife,  who  was  a  Jewess,  and  had  had  the  advantage  of  a  re- 
ligious education.  He,  therefore,  puts  a  sudden  stop  to  Paul's  dis- 
course, and  dismisses  him.  The  subject  about  which  Felix  inquired 
seems  to  have  been  faith  in  Christ,  or  the  grounds  of  belief  in  his 
divine  mission  as  a  prophet  ;  but,  having  satisfied  the  governor's 
curiosity  in  these  points,  Paul  was  naturally  led  to  make  mention 
of  those  grand  principles  of  morality,  which  Christ  came  to  en- 
force, by  the  sanction  of  a  resurrection  from  the  dead,  and  a  judg- 
ment to  come  ;  the  recital  of  which  was  particularly  well  adapted 
to  the  character  of  his  audience. 

26.  He  hoped,  also,  that  money  should  have  been 
given  him  of  Paul,  that  he  might  loose  him  :  where- 
fore, he  sent  for  him  the  oftencr,  and  communed, 
*'  conversed,^''  with  him. 

As  Felix  permitted  Paul's  friends  to  have  access  to  him,  he 
would  soon  perceive  by  the  number  and  character  of  his  visiters,  if 
he  did  not  know  it  before,  that  he  was  highly  respected  by  great 
numbers  of  all  ranks  and  conditions.  He  might,  therefore,  suppose 
that  his  friends  would  be  willing  to  raise  a  large  sum,  in  order  to 
purchase  liis  liberty  ;  or,  as  the  apostle  had  declared,  that  he  came 
up  to  Jerusalem  to  bring  alms  to  iiis  nation,  he  might  suppose  that 
this  money  was  not  all  distributed,  and  found  his  hopes  on  a  large 
bribe  on  what  might  be  obtained  from  this  quartet.  But  whatever 
gave  rise  to  his  expectations,  the  apostle  did  not  choose  to  gratify 
them.  As  he  had  been  accused  of  a  crime,  he  was  not  willing  to 
procure  his  release  from  prison,  in  a  niJTuner  which  must  have  been 
a  tacit  acknowledgment  of  his  guilt. 

27.  But  after  two  years,  Porcius  Festus  came  in- 
to Felix's  room,  "  succeeded  him  as  governor,''''  and 
Felix,  w  illing  to  show  the  Jews  a  pleasure,  left  Paul 
bound. 

lie  did  not  close  his  government  with  this  act,  merely  to  procure 
popularity,  but  principally  to  avert  the  resentment  of  the  Jews, 
who  were  highly  exasperated  against  him  for  his  injustice  and  cru- 
elty, in  the  adn)inisl;ation  of  his  province,  and  who,  he  was  afraid, 
might  follow  him  with  their  complaints  to  Rome  ;  —  an  event  which 
actually  took  place,  notwitlistaiuiing  this  wicked  artifice  to  prevent 
it.  Pilate  was  guilty  of  a  more  atrocious  act  of  injustice,  from  a 
like  motive. 


XXV.  1—12.)  ACTS.  249 

1.  Now  wlien  Festus  was  come  into  the  province, 
after  three  days  he  ascended  from  Ceesarea  to  Jeru- 
salem. 

2.  Then  the  high-priest,  and  the  chief  of  the  Jews, 
informed  him  against  Paul,  and  besought  favour  against 
him,*  that  they  would  send  for  him  to  Jerusalem,  lay- 
ing wait  in  the  way  to  kill  him. 

Thesa  men,  who,  on  this  occasion,  intended  to  put  Paul  to  death, 
were  probably  some  of  the  forty  whom  we  read  of  before,  as  hav- 
ing hiid  themselves  under  an  oatii,  not  to  eat  nor  drink  until  they 
had  slain  him  ;  and  their  design  having  been  communicated  to  the 
high-priest  and  chief  persons  in  the  nation,  they  join  in  endeavour- 
ing to  forward  their  wicked  purpose,  by  requesting  that  Paul  may 
be  brought  up  to  Jerusalem.  That  persons  of  such  rank  should  be 
privy  to  such  a  plot,  will  not  be  surprising  to  those  who  consider 
the  state  of  Judiea  at  this  time,  when  the  country  abounded  with 
assassins,  and  when  the  office  of  high-priest,  according  to  Josephus, 
was  filled  by  a  man  of  the  most  abandoned  character. 

4.  But  Festus  answered,  that  Paul  should  be  kept 
at  Ca3sarea,  and  that  he  himself  would  depart  shortly 
thither. 

He  had  probably  heard  of  the  reason  of  his  being  first  brought 
to  Csesarea,  and  suspected  that  a  similar  design  was  again  formed. 

5.  Let  them,  therefore,  said  he,  which  among  you 
are  able,  go  down  with  me,  and  accuse  this  man,  if 
there  be  any  wickedness  in  him. 

6.  And  when  he  had  tarried  among  them  more 
than  ten  days,  or,  as  some  copies  read,  "  not  more  than 
eight  or  ten  days,''"'^  he  went  down  unto  Ca^sarea,  and 
the  next  day,  sitting  in  the  judgment-seat,  command- 
ed Paul  to  be  brought. 

7.  And  when  he  was  come,  the  Jews,  which  came 
down  from  Jerusalem,  stood  round  about,  and  laid 
many  and  grievous  complaints  against  Paul,  which 
they  could  not  prove  ; 

8.  While  he  answered  for  himself.  Neither  against 
the  law  of  the  Jews,  neither  against  the  temple,  nor 
yet  against  Caesar,  have  I  offended  any  thing  at  all. 

■"  Some  copies  read,  n*^'  instead  of  K*t'  ctutou.     See  Griesbach. 
t  See  Griesbach.  who  adopts  this  reading, 
vol     III.  2    H 


250  ACTS.  (xxv.  1—12. 

The  historian  does  not  inlbrni  us  what  the  complaints  brought 
against  iiim  were,  or  what  was  liis  (JelVnce  :  probably,  because  they 
were  both  the  same  as  before. 

9.  But  Festiis,  willing  to  do  the  Jews  a  pleasure, 
answered  Paul  and  said,  Wilt  thou  go  up  to  .Jerusa- 
lem, and  there  be  judged  of  these  things  before  me  ? 

These  words  are  repeated,  verse  20,  and  the  last  words,  "  before 
me,"  arc  left  out ;  and  they  are  to  be  omitted  in  both  places  ;*  for 
if  he  went  up  to  Jerusalem,  he  was  to  bo  tried  before  the  Jewish 
council. 

10.  Then  said  Paul,  I  stand  at  Cicsar's  judgment- 
seat,  where  I  ought  to  be  judged  ;  to  the  Jews  have 
I  done  no  wrong  as  thou  very  well  knowest,  "  as  thou 
mayest  very  well  know.''^ 

Festus  might  know  Paul's  innocence  from  the  nature  of  the 
charges,  and  from  his  defence.  To  stand  at  the  judgment-seat  of 
the  procurator  was  standing  before  Coesar's,  from  whom  he  receiv- 
ed his  commission. 

11.  For  if  I    be  an  offender,  or  have  committed 

any  thing  worthy  of  death,  1  refuse  not  to  die  :  but  if 

there   be    none    of   these  things  whereof  these  accuse 

me,  no  man    may    deliver    me   unto  them.     I  appeal 

unto  Caesar. 

It  is  well  known,  that  a  Roman  citizen,  under  a  criminal  charge, 
might  appeal  from  an  inferior  court  to  Cccsar,  and  that  in  this  case 
he  was  to  be  sent  to  Rome,  and  tried  by  persons  holding  a  commis- 
sion from  the  emperor.  Of  this  privilege  the  apostle  availed 
himself  in  the  present  instance,  despairing  of  justice  from  his 
countrymen. 

12.  Then  Festus,  when  he  had  conferred  with 
the  council,  7iot  the  Sanhedrim,  hut  a  number  of  per- 
sons who  attended  the  governor  to  give  advice,  answer- 
ed. Hast  thou  appealed  unto  Csesar  ?  unto  Csesar 
shalt  thou  go. 


REFLECTIONS. 


1.  From  the  language  of  Paul  before  Felix,  we  learn  that  the 
gospel  of  Christ  is  of  a  moral  tendency.  No  sooner  has  the  apostle 
satisfied   the  inquiries  of  the  Roman  governor  respecting  faith  in 

*  The  reader  is  not  lo  conclude  from  these  words  that  there  is  ^ny  external  evi- 
dence for  the  omission  in  this  passage. — Editor. 


XXV.  1—12.)  ACTS.  .251 

Christ,  by  showing  the  ground  of  liis  belief  of  the  Christian  religion, 
than  he  proceeds  to  discourse  upon  justice,  and  continence,  and  a 
judgment  to  come  ;  asserting  that  these  virtues  were  enjoined  by 
the  gospel  of  Jesus,  no  less  tlian  by  the  law  of  Moses  and  tlie  light 
of  nature,  and  that  they  received  additional  authority  from  the  pros- 
pect of  a  future  judgment,  the  certainty  of  which  was  established 
beyond  all  doubt,  by  the  resurrection  of  Christ  from  the  dead. 
These,  indeed,  are  not  the  only  moral  virtues  which  it  enjoins,  and 
upon  which  this  enlightened  preacher  insisted  ;  but  they  are  more 
particularly  noticed  by  the  historian,  because  they  were  the  cause 
of  that  alarm  which  occasioned  the  interruption  of  the  discourse. 
There  were,  doubtless,  many  others  which  he  proved  to  have  a 
similar  foundation  in  the  Christian  doctrine.  Christianity,  then, 
does  not  consist,  as  some  persons  seem  to  suppose,  in  the  belief  of 
certain  speculative  and  abstruse  articles  of  faith,  much  less  in  the 
persuasion  that  Christ  died  to  make  atonement  for  our  personal 
sins,  and  to  substitute  something  for  our  imperfect  righteousness. 
Its  first  and  leading  object  is  to  inculcate  upon  men  personal,  social, 
and  divine  virtues,  and  to  enforce  the  practice  of  them  by  the  awful 
sanction  of  a  future  judgment,  when  every  one  will  be  called  to 
give  an  account  of  his  conduct  before  an  impartial  judge,  and  be  re- 
warded or  punished,  according  as  he  has  observed  or  neglected 
these  duties.  This  is  the  great  design  of  the  gospel  —  a  design 
worthy  of  being  countenanced  by  God,  and  calculated  to  promote 
the  best  interests  of  man.  Those  who  overlook  this  design  are 
ignorant  of  its  fundamental  principles. 

2.  We  see  the  danger  of  an  evil  conscience.  Those  who  have 
rendered  this  power  their  enemy,  by  tiie  commission  of  any  crime, 
are  constantly  liable  to  sufier  by  its  reproaches  and  alarms;  and 
their  happiness  is  never  secure.  Although  its  voice  may  for  a  time 
be  drowned  in  the  noise  and  tumult  of  society  and  business,  or  may 
be  stupified  by  the  intoxicating  draught  of  pleasure,  yet  there  are 
occasions  when  it  will  have  an  opportuniry  to  speak  ;  and  these 
opportunities  it  will  not  fail  to  improve.  Little  was  it  to  be  ex- 
pected that  a  prisoner,  when  called  upon  to  speak,  should  be  able 
to  say  any  thing  which  should  alarm  the  apprehensions  of  his  judge; 
yet  his  language  fills  him  with  the  most  lively  fear,  not  so  much, 
indeed,  for  himself  as  lor  his  less  criminal  associate,  whose  mind  was 
not  hardened  beyond  the  reach  of  remorse,  and  whose  tranquillity 
was  necessary  to  his  own  peace.  Felix  had  reflection  enough  to 
know  that  conscience  acknowledged  no  distinction  of  rank,  that  it 
binds  the  rich  as  well  as  the  poor,  and  that  it  is  equally  hostile  to  all 
those,  whatever  their  condition  may  be,  by  whom  its  dictates  have 
been  violated.  He  well  knew  that  the  authority  of  example,  the 
violence  of  passion,  and  every  other  plea  by  which  tlie  offender  en- 
deavours to  excuse  his  wicked  conduct  to  himself,  are  of  no  avail 
at  the  bar  of  conscience,  and  that  nothing  can  avert  the  sentence  of 
this  inexorable  judge,  if  once  called  to  exercise  his  authority.  He 
resolves,  therefore,  to  hear  no  more  from  this  awakening  preacher, 
lest  the  repose  of  conscience  should  be  disturbed.  Foolish  and 
wicked  expedient,  which  could  only  serve  a  present  purpose,  but 
could  afford  no  lasting  security  !      Let  it  ever  be  remembered  that 


252  ACTS.  (XXV.  13—2:. 

when  the  peace  of  the  mind  has  once  been  destroyed  by  the  com- 
mission of  sin,  there  is  but  one  why  in  which  it  can  be  restored  — 
repentance  and  reformation. 


SECTION  XLII. 

Paul  drfends    himself  before  Festus,  in  the  presence  of  Agrippa 
and  liernice. 

Acts  xxv.  13—27.5  xxvi.  1—32. 

13.  And  after  certain  days,  king  Agripjia  and 
Bernice  came  unto  Caesarea,  to  salute,  "  pay  their 
respects  to,''''  Festus,  to  compliment  him  on  his  appoint- 
ment to  the  province. 

This  Agrippa  was  son  of  the  Ilerodjking  of  Judasa,  who  persecut- 
ed the  church,  and  of  whose  tragical  deatli  we  had  an  account  in  the 
twelfth  chapter  of  this  history.  He  did  not,  however,  succeed  his 
father  ;  the  emperor  Claudius  thinking  him  too  young,  as  he  was  no 
more  than  seventeen  years  of  age.  Acquiring  considerable  terri- 
tories in  other  quarters  afterwards,  he  assumed  the  title  of  king, 
which  is  here  given  him,  and  by  whicli  he  is  frequently  denominated 
by  Josephus.  That  Luke  did  not  consider  him  as  king  of  Judaea, 
is  evident  from  his  representing  him  as  paying  a  visit  to  Festus.* 
Bernice  was  sister  to  Agrippa  and  to  Drusilla,  the  wife  of  Feli.t, 
mentioned  in  the  last  chapter.  The  conduct  of  Bernice  was  not 
free  from  censure,  any  more  than  that  of  her  sister.  She  had  been 
married  to  her  uncle  Herod,  and  was  now  suspected  of  living  in  in- 
cestuous intercourse  with  her  brother.  She  was  at  one  time  in  so 
much  favour  with  the  emperor  Titus  Vespasian,  that  he  would  have 
married  her,  had  he  not  been  prevented  by  the  murmurs  of  the 
Romans.! 

14.  And  when  they  had  been  there  many  days, 
Festus  declared  Paul's  cause  unto  the  king,  saying, 
There  is  a  certain  man  left  in  bonds  by  Felix, 

15.  About  whom,  when  I  was  at  Jerusalem,  the 
chief  priests  and  elders  of  the  Jews  informed  me,  de- 
siring to  have  judgment  against  him  : 

16.  To  whom  I  answered,  It  is  not  the  manner  of 
the  Romans  to  deliver  any  man  to  die,  before  that  he 
who  is   accused    have   the   accusers  face  to  face,  and 

•  Lardnor,  Vol.  I.  p.  28.  t  Sec  Tearce  and  Doddridge 


XXV.  13—27.)  ACTS.  253 

have  license   to    answer    for    himself  concerning  the 
crime  laid  against  him. 

How  fundamental  an  article  of  the  Roman  law  this  was,  may  be 
I  inferred  from  the  language  of  Cicero,  the  Roman  orator,  who  reck- 
ons it  one  of  the  highest  charges  against  Verres,  a  Roman  governor, 
that  he  had  condemned  men  who  were  absent,  and  without  a  hear- 
ing.* From  the  conduct  of  the  Jews  upon  this  occasion,  it  ap- 
pears that  what  they  wanted  from  Festus  was  not  a  trial  of  Paul, 
but  a  sentence  of  condemnation  ;  pretending  that  his  guilt  had 
been  already  proved. 

17.  Therefore,  when  they  were  come  hither, 
without  any  delay,  on  the  morrow  I  sat  on  the  judg- 
ment-seat, and  commanded  the  man  to  be  brought 
forth  ; 

18.  Against  whom,  when  the  accusers  stood  up, 
they  brought  none  accusation  of  such  things  as  I  sup- 
posed, 

19.  But  had  certain  questions  against  him  of  their 
own  superstition,  "  of  their  own  religion,''^  and  of 
one  Jesus,  who  was  dead,  who  Paul  affiimed  to  be 
alive. 

That  Festus,  in  addressing  Agrippa,  who  was  a  Jew,  and  who 
had  come  to  Caesarea  to  pay  him  a  visit  of  compliment,  should  call 
his  religion  a  superstition,  is  not  credible.  Besides,  we  have  other 
examples  in  which  the  word  is  taken  in  a  good  sense  for  religion. 
It  ought,  therefore,  to  be  so  rendered  in  this  place.  From  the  ve- 
hement language  of  the  Jews  in  accusing  Paul,  Festus  supposed 
that  they  charged  him  with  some  crime  against  the  state.  He  was 
surprised,  therefore,  to  find  that  they  only  accused  him  of  some  re- 
ligious errors,  and  especially  of  a  mistake  of  so  little  consequence 
as  that  of  believing  that  a  man  who  had  been  dead  was  alive. 

20.  And  because  I  doubted  of  such  manner  of 
questions,  "  because  I  was  doubtful  how  to  inquire  here- 
ojl^^  i.  e.  whether  Jesus  were  alive  after  his  death,  I  ask- 
ed him  whether  he  would  go  to  Jerusalem,  and  there 
be  judged  of  these  matters  : 

The  fact  being  said  to  have  taken  place  at  Jerusalem,  it  would  be 
easy  to  procure  information  on  the  subject  there. 

21.  But  when  Paul  had  appealed  to  be  reserved 
unto  the  hearing  of  Augustus,  I  commanded  him  to  be 
kept  till  1  might  send  him  to  Ceesar. 

Augustus  here  means  Nero,  each  of  the  Roman  emperors^  from 

*  Lardner,  Vol.  I.  p.  230. 


254  ACTS.  (xxv.  13—27. 

tlio  time  of  Octavius,  having  assumed  this  appellation.  CjEsar,  was 
another  name  assumed  by  the  Roman  emperors  from  Julius  Ca;sar, 
the  first  of  tiiem. 

22.  Then  Agrippa  said  unto  Festus,  I  would  also 
hear  the  man  myself.  To-morrow,  said  he,  thou 
shalt  hear  him. 

Agrippa  iiad  doubtless  heard  of  the  Christians  from  his  fatlier, 
who  had  put  James  the  apostle  to  death  with  the  sword,  and  im- 
prisoned Peter.  His  curiosit}'  was,  tliercforo,  awakened  to  hear  so 
illustrious  an  advocate  of  this  cause  as  Paul,  who  was  ])robably 
more  celebrated  than  any  of  tlie  other  apostles,  on  account  of  his 
early  opposition  to  Christianity. 

23.  And  on  the  morrow,  when  Agrippa  was  come, 
and  Bernice,  with  great  pomp,  and  was  entered  into 
the  place  of  hearing,  i.  e.  the  room  oj* audience  used  by 
the  governor^  and  not  a  court  of  justice  ;  for  Paul  was 
not  now  tried,  with  the  chief  captains  and  principal 
men  of  the  city,  at  Festus'  commandment  Paul  was 
brought  forth. 

24.  And  Festus  said,  King  Agrippa,  and  all  men 
who  are  here  present  with  us,  ye  see  this  man,  about 
whom  all  the  multitude  of  the  Jews  have  dealt  with 
me,  "  have  applied  to  me,"  both  at  Jerusalem  and 
also  here,  crying,  that  he  ought  not  to  live  any 
longer. 

25.  But  when  I  found  that  he  had  committed 
nothing  worthy  of  death,  and  that  he  himself  hath 
appealed  to  Augustus,  1  have  determined  to  send 
him  ; 

26.  Of  whom  I  have  no  certain  thing  to  write 
unto  my  Lord  ;  wherefore  I  have  brought  him  forth 
before  you,  and  especially  before  thee,  O  king  Agrip- 
pa, that  after  examination  had,  I  might  have  some- 
what to  write  : 

As  Agrippa  was  a  Jew,  and  well  acquainted  with  Jewish  customs, 
he  hoped  that  he  might  relieve  him  from  his  present  embarrass- 
ment, and  enable  him  to  describe  in  what  the  peculiar  nature  of 
Paul's  offence  consisted. 

27.  For  it  seemeth  to  me  unreasonable  to  send  a 
prisoner,  and  not  withal  to  signify  the  crimes  laid 
against  him. 

At  this  time  it  is  plain  that  there  was  no  law  of  the  Roman  slate, 


XXV.  13—27.)  ACTS.  255 

as  there  was  afterwards,  pronouncing  it  a  crime  to  be  a  Christian. 
As  the  followers  of  Jesus  conformed  to  the  law  of  Moses,  the  Ro- 
mans now  considered  them  as  composing  one  of  the  sects,  of  all 
which  were  allowed  the  free  exercise  of  their  religion. 


REFLECTIONS. 


1.  Tn  the  preceding  history  we  see  that  it  was  an  invariable 
maxim  of  Roman  jurisprudence  that  no  man  should  be  condemned 
unheard,  and  without  enjoying  every  aid  for  his  defence  which  could 
arise  from  confronting  his  accusers.  This  is,  indeed,  an  essential 
branch  of  criminal  justice  ;  and  small  is  the  title  to  the  praise  of 
equity  in  that  judgment  where  it  is  not  allowed.  Happy  would  it 
be  for  the  world,  if  the  same  regard  to  propriety  were  observed  in 
forming  a  decision  upon  oiher  matters.  How  often  are  actions  and 
characters  condemned  by  us,  without  our  hearing  what  men  have 
to  offer  in  their  defence  !  How  often  are  opinions  pronounced  to 
be  absurd,  unscriptural,  and  dangerous,  without  inquiring  into  the 
evidence  on  which  they  are  founded,  or  their  tendency  to  do  harm  ! 
When  disputes  and  contentions  arise,  how  often  do  men  decide  in 
favour  of  one  party,  before  they  hear  their  opponents  !  If  their 
wish  be  to  obtain  a  plausible  excuse  for  censure  or  hatred,  this  meth- 
od of  judging  is  doubtless  well  calculated  to  answer  their  purpose  ; 
but  nothing  can  be  more  hostile  to  their  design,  if  they  look  for 
truth  and  justice.  The  maxim  of  prudence  is  to  hear  both  sides  of 
every  question,  and  to  suspend  the  judgment  until  each  has  been 
examined.  It  was  an  observation  which  long  since  suggested  itself 
to  the  royal  preacher,  and  which  the  experience  of  every  day  has 
confirmed,  that  "  he  who  is  first  in  his  own  cause  seemeth  just,  but 
his  neighbour  cometh,  and  searcheth  him.'' 

2.  Observe  with  what  indifference  men  of  the  world  look  upon 
the  most  important  topics  and  characters  in  religion.  The  illus- 
trious captain  of  our  salvation,  the  most  eminent  prophet  who  ever 
appeared  in  the  world,  whose  distinguished  endowments  entitled 
him  to  the  character  of  the  Sou  of  God,  the  patient  martyr  for  the 
truth,  the  perfect  pattern  of  human  excellence,  who  was  honoured 
with  the  privilege  of  being  the  first  to  rise  from  the  grave  to  im- 
mortal life —  this  distinguished  personage  is,  in  the  language  of  a 
Roman  governor,  one  Jesus,  an  unknown  and  obscure  individual. 
His  resurrection  from  the  dead,  the  most  interesting  event  which 
ever  took  place,  and  which  ought  to  have  attracted  the  attention  of 
all  men  throughout  the  world,  is  a  matter  about  which  he  has  form- 
ed no  opinion,  but  must  inquire.  But  wisdom  is  justified  of  her 
children.  The  virtuous  and  the  good  have  not  failed  to  do  honour  to 
Jesus  and  his  doctrine  in  all  ages. 

3.  How  honourable  to  Paul  is  the  declaration  of  the  Roman 
governor  !  He  has  been  detained  two  years  in  prison  ;  his  enemies 
have  been  repeatedly  heard  against  him  ;  all  the  arts  of  oratory  have 
been  employed  to  aggravate  his   offences,  and  to  blacken  his  char- 


256  ACTS.  (xxvi.  1—18. 

actor  ;  lie  has  been  examined  by  Felix  ;  he  has  been  examined  by 
Festus.  But  in  all  tiipse  trials  not  a  shadow  of  guilt  has  been  dis- 
covered ;  an  impartial  judge  is  ashamed  to  send  him  a  prisoner  to 
Rome,  because  he  can  find  nothing  to  allege  against  him.  Such, 
Christians,  is  the  character  of  the  first  witnesses  of  your  religion. 
Can  you  doubt  their  testimony  ?  Can  you  believe  them  to  be 
wicked  impostors  ? 


1.  Then  Agrippa  said  unto  Paul,  Thou  art  per- 
mitted to  speak  for  thyself.  Then  Paul  stretched 
forth  the  hand,  and  answered  for  himself,  "  made  his 
defence.'^'' 

2.  I  think  myself  happy,  king  Agrippa,  because 
I  shall  make  my  defence  this  day  before  thee,  touch- 
ing all  the  things  whereof  I  am  accused  of  the  Jews  : 

3.  Especially,  because  I  know  thee  to  be  expert 
in  all  customs  and  questions  which  are  among  the 
Jews  :  whereof,  I  beseech  thee  to  hear  me  patiently. 

Agrippa  was  the  son  of  Herod  Agrippa,  a  prince  who  professed  a 
great  zeal  for  the  Jewish  religion,  and  who,  no  doubt,  had  all  his 
children  instructed  in  it.  Beside  this  advantage  which  Agrippa  en- 
joyed for  becoming  acquainted  with  the  manners  and  customs  of 
the  Jews,  he  had  the  important  post  of  commanding  the  ten)ple,  and 
disposing  of  the  sacred  money,  as  well  as  of  nominating  the  high- 
priest ; —  situations  which  would  necessarily  lead  him  to  an  inti- 
mate acquaintance  with  their  affairs,  and  particularly  inform  him  of 
the  different  sects  whicli  prevailed  in  the  country.  To  make  his 
defence  before  so  competent  a  judge,  afforded  Paul  peculiar  sat- 
isfaction. 

4.  My  manner  of  life  from  my  youth,  "  since  my 
youtli,^^  which  was  at  the  first  among  my  own  nation 
at  Jerusalem,  know  all  the  Jews, 

5.  Which  knew  me  from  the  beginning,  (if  they 
would  testify,)  that  after  the  most  straitest  sect, 
"  the  strictest  sect,''''  of  our  religion,  I  lived  a  Pharisee. 

Paul  was  born  at  Tarsus  in  Cilicia,  and  brought  up  there  till  he 
was  a  young  man,  when  he  came  to  Jerusalem,  to  complete  his  edu- 
cation under  Gamaliel.  To  tlie  inhabitants  of  this  place,  therefore, 
he  might  with  propriety  appeal  for  his  past  conduct,  and  for  the 
truth  of  the  assertion  that  he  was  a  Pharisee. 

6.  And  now  I  stand,  and  am  judged  for  the  hope 
of  the  promise  made  of  God  unto  our  fathers  ; 

7.  Unto  which  promise  our  twelve  tribes,  instant- 


xxvi.  1—18.)  ACTS.  257 

Ij,  "  earnestly,^''  serving  God,  day  and  night,  hope  to 
come  ;  for  which  hope's  sake,  "  on  account  of  which 
hope,''''  king  Agrippa,  I  am  accused  of  the  Jews. 

The  hope  here  referred  to,  seems  to  be  the  hope  of  the  Messiah, 
who  was  the  subject  of  expectation  among  the  Jews,  at  the  time 
when  the  apostle  spoke,  as  he  is  at  the  present  day.  The  doctrine 
of  a  resurrection  was  disbelieved  by  the  Sadducecs  ;  the  apostle 
could  not,  therefore,  say  that  the  twelve  tribes  hoped  to  come  to  this 
promise,  when  he  well  knew  that  only  a  part  of  them  looked  for  it. 
Besides,  if  lie  had  referred  to  a  resurrection,  he  could  not  have 
asked,  as  he  does  in  the  next  verse,  why  they  thought  a  resurrection 
from  the  dead  impossible.  To  this  it  may  be  added,  that  it  will  be 
difficult  to  find  any  passage  in  the  Old  Testament  in  which  a  resur- 
rection is  promised  by  God,  although  intimations  may  perhaps  be 
found  there  that  it  was  the  faith  of  some. 

The  apostle  wishes  to  show  Agrippa  and  the  rest  of  his  audience, 
that  in  believing  in  the  Messiah  he  admitted  nothing  but  what  had 
been  the  common  hope  of  the  nation.  The  principal  evidence  of 
this  fact  was,  in  his  judgment,  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  from  the 
dead  ;  but  this  they  thought  incredible,  as  he  himself  had  once 
thought.  He  therefore  proceeds  to  show  how  his  unbelief  was 
removed  ;  namely,  by  his  seeing  Jesus  and  receiving  a  message  from 
him. 

8.  Why  should  it  be  thought  a  thing  incredible 
with  you  that  God  should  raise  the  dead  ? 

That  is,  raise  to  life  Jesus  who  had  been  put  to  death.  Into  this 
error  he  acknowledges  that  he  himself  had  once  fallen. 

9.  I  verily  thought  with  myself  that  I  ought  to 
do  many  things  contrary  to  the  name,  "  against  the 
name,''''  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth  ; 

10.  Which  thing  I  also  did  in  Jerusalem  ;  and 
many  of  the  saints  did  I  shut  up  in  prison,  having 
received  authority  from  the  chief  priests  ;  and  when 
they  "were  put  to  death,  I  gave  my  voice  against 
them. 

He  speaks  of  persons  in  the  plural  number,  as  being  put  to  death, 
as  if  they  were  many  ;  but  he  probably  refers  only  to  one,  and  that 
Stephen. 

11.  And  I  punished  them  oft,  or,  "  by  punishing 
them  oft,''"'  in  every  synagogue,  I  compelled  them  to 
blaspheme,  to  revile  the  name  of  Jesus  ;  and,  being 
exceedingly  mad  against  them,  I  persecuted  them, 
"  /  was  pursuing  them,''''  even  to  strange  cities. 

VOL.    MI.  2    I 


258  ACTS.  (xxvi.  1—18. 

12.  Whereupon,  as  I  went  to  Damascus,  with 
authority  and  commission  from  the  chief  priests, 

13.  At  mid-day,  O  king,  I  saw  in  the  way  a 
light  from  heaven,  above  the  brightness  of  the  sun, 
shining  round  about  me  and  them  who  journeyed 
with  me. 

14.  And  when  we  were  all  fallen  to  the  earth, 
I  heard  a  voice  speaking  unto  me,  and  saying  in  the 
Hebrew  tongue,  Saul,  Saul,  why  persecutest  thou 
me  ?  it  is  hard  for  thee  to  kick  against  the  goad. 

This  familiar  proverb  represented  to  me  the  fully  and  danger  of 
my  undertaking. 

15.  And  I  said.  Who  art  thou,  Lord  ?  And  he 
said,  I  am  Jesus,  whom  thou  persecutest  : 

16.  But  rise,  and  stand  upon  thy  feet  ;  for  I  have 
appeared  unto  thee  for  this  purpose,  to  make  thee  a 
minister  and  a  witness,  both  of  these  things  which 
thou  hast  seen,  and  of  those  things  in  the  which 
I  will  appear  unto  thee  ; 

More  than  one  instance  has  already  occurred  in  the  course  of  this 
history,  of  Jesus'  appearing  personally  to  Paul,  agreeably  to  the  de- 
claration which  he  now  makes.  It  was  on  some  one  of  these  occa- 
sions that  he  received  from  him  the  knowledge  of  the  gospel.  For 
he  says,  I  neither  received  it  of  man,  neither  was  I  taught  it,  but  by 
the  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ.* 

17.  Delivering    thee    from    the    people,    i  e.  the 

Jews,  and  from  the  Gentiles,  unto   whom  I  now  send 

thee  ; 

It  appears  hence  that  the  apostle  had  a  commission  to  preach  the 
gospel  to  the  Gentiles  from  the  beginning,  although  he  did  not  exer- 
cise it  till  some  time  afterwards. 

18.  To  open  their  eyes,  and  to  turn  them  from 
darkness  to  light,  and  from  the  power  of  Satan  unto 
God  ;  that  they  might  receive  forgiveness  of  sins,  and 
inheritance  among  them  which  are  sanctified  by  faith 
in  me. 

By  these  expressions,  nothing  more  is  intended  than  a  conversion 
from  heathenism  to  Christianit}'.  Gentiles  are  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment denominated  sinners,  and  unholy  ;  they  are  represented  as  in 
a  state  of  darkness,  and  subject  to  the  authority  of  Satan,  an  imagi- 
nary being,  the  supposed  patron  of  wickedness.     By  their  professing 

*  Galaliaus  i.  12. 


xxvi.  19—32.)  ACTS.  259 

faith  in  Christ,  all  these  characters  are  reversed  ;  they  are  transfer- 
red into  the  kingdom  of  God  ;  they  are  enlightened,  forgiven,  and 
sanctified.  This  language  is  well  illustrated  by  a  parallel  passage  in 
the  epistle  of  Paul  to  the  Colossians,  i.  12 — 14,  where,  speaking 
of  the  conversion  of  that  people,  he  says,  "  Giving  thanks  unto  the 
Father,  which  has  made  us  meet  to  be  partakers  of  the  inheritance 
of  the  saints  in  light,  who  hath  delivered  us  from  the  power  of  dark- 
ness, and  hath  translated  us  into  the  kingdom  of  his  dear  Son,  in 
whom  we  have  redemption  through  his  blood,  even  the  forgiveness 
of  sins." 


The  story  of  Paul's  conversion,  though  now  repeated  for  the  third 
time,  has  not  ceased  to  be  interesting,  but  is  accompanied  with  such 
additional  circumstances  or  remarks,  as  serve  to  throw  fresh  light 
upon  the  subject,  to  display  the  eloquence  of  their  narrator,  and  to 
confirm  our  faith  in  the  event.  The  appeal  which  is  made  to  king 
Agrippa,  a  Jew,  well  acquainted  with  the  transactions  of  his  own 
nation,  for  the  truth  of  the  principal  circumstances  of  this  story, 
gives  it,  in  particular,  fresh  claims  to  our  credit.  For  they  cannot 
be  denied  by  him,  and,  when  joined  with  the  testimony  of  the  proph- 
ets, they  almost  persuade  him,  as  we  afterwards  find,  to  become  a 
Christian.  If  they  have  not  completely  this  effect,  it  is  not  from  a 
deficiency  in  the  evidence,  but  from  the  influence  of  fashion,  and 
the  fear  of  disgrace.  These  motives  often  control  the  convictions 
of  the  mind,  and  prevent  it   from  giving  assent  to  the  plainest  truths. 


19.  Whereupon,  O  king  Agrippa,  I  was  not  diso- 
bedient unto  the  heavenly  vision  ; 

The  word  vision,  sometimes  signifies  in  Scripture  an  appearance 
presented  to  the  mind  or  fancy  only,  in  opposition  to  what  is  the 
object  of  the  senses  :  but  in  this  place  it  is  used  to  express  what  is 
real  and  what  is  actually  seen.  Hence  Paul  says,  "  Am  I  not  an 
apostle  ?     Have  I  not  seen  the  Lord  ?" 

20.  But  showed  first  unto  them  of  Damascus,  and 
at  Jerusalem,  and  throughout  all  the  coasts,  "  all  the 
country,^''  of  Judaea,  and  then  to  the  Gentiles,  that 
they  should  repent  and  turn  to  God,  and  do,  "  by 
doings''''  works  meet  for  repentance,  i.  e.  suitable  to 
repentance. 

The  meaning  of  the  word  repentance,  has  been  noticed  more  than 
once  in  the  course  of  this  history,  namely>  the  abandonment  of 
heathen  and  Jewish  errors  ;  and  it  is  connected  with  the  forgive- 
ness of  sins  before  explained.  They  were  further  exhorted  to  turn 
to  God  by  doing  works  of  repentance,  i.  e.  to  return  to  the  service 
of  God,  by  acting  in  a  manner  becoming  their  new  profession. 

21.  For    these  causes,    ^^Jor    these   thingSy"^    the 


260  ACTS.  (xxvi.  19—32. 

Jews  caught   me  in   the  temple,  and  went  about  to 
kill  me  : 

22.  But  having  obtained  help  of  God,  (agreeably 
to  the  promise,  V.  16,)  I  continue  unto  this  day,  wit- 
nessing both  to  small  and  great,  saying,  none  other 
things  than  those  which  the  prophets  and  Moses  did 
say  should  come  : 

Bishop  Pearce  thinks,  that  the  name  of  Moses  is  an  interpolation 
in  this  phice,  because  it  follows  that  of  the  prophets,  which  it  ought 
to  have  preceded  ;  and  when  they  are  again  mentioned  in  the  twen- 
ty-seventh verse,  the  name  of  Moses  is  omitted. 

23.  That  Christ  should  suffer,  and  that  he  should 
be  the  first  that  should  rise  from  the  dead,  and  should 
show  light  unto  the  people,  and  to  the  Gentiles,  "  that 
being  the  first  that  should  rise  from  the  dead,  he  should 
show  light  unto  the  people  and  to  the  Gentiles.'''' 

That  Christ  was  the  first  that  rose  from  the  dead,  is  the  language 
of  Paul,  and  not  of  the  prophets,  whose  testimony  goes  no  further 
than  his  sufferings,  and  his  being  a  light  to  the  Gentiles.  The 
method  by  which  this  light  was  to  be  communicated,  —  a  resurrection 
from  the  dead,  to  eternal  life,  remained  a  mystery  till  the  actual  ap- 
pearance of  Christ.  Nothing  can  more  distinctly  mark  out  the  age 
of  the  Messiah,  than  the  prediction  that  he  should  be  a  light  to  the 
Gentiles  :  no  prophet  beside  Jesus,  and  those  authorized  by  him, 
ever  proposed  to  the  Gentiles  to  enter  into  covenant  with  Jehovah. 

24.  And  as  he  thus  spake  for  himself,  "  when  he 
was  in  this  part  of  his  defence,''"'  Festus  said,  with  a 
loud  voice,  (referring  to  Paul's  vision,  which  he  sup- 
posed to  be  the  effect  of  a  disordered  imagination,) 
Paul,  thou  art  beside  thyself;  much  learning  doth 
make  thee  mad. 

25.  But  he  said,  I  am  not  mad,  most  noble  Fes- 
tus, but  speak  forth  the  words  of  truth  and  soberness. 

26.  For  the  king  knoweth  of  these  things,  be- 
fore whom,  also,  I  speak  freely,  "  ivith  confidence,^'' 
for  I  am  persuaded  that  none  of  these  things  are  hid- 
den from  him  ;  for  this  thing  was  not  done  in  a 
corner. 

27.  King  Agrippa,  believest  thou  the  prophets  ? 
I  know  that  thou  believest  them. 


xxvi.  19—32.)  ACTS.  261 

It  is  probable  that  Paul  was  proceeding  to  mention  some  of  the 
prophecies  which  proved  Jesus  to  be  the  Christ,  had  he  not  been 
interrupted  by  Agrippa. 

28.  Then  Agrippa  said  unto  Paul,  Almost  thou 
persuadestme  to  be  a  Christian. 

29.  And  Paul  said,  I  would  to  God,  that  not  only 
thou,  but  also  all  that  hear  me  this  day,  were  both 
almost  and  altogether  such  as  I  am,  except  these 
bonds. 

This  refers  to  the  guards  by  whom  he  was  surrounded,  or  to  his 
being  a  prisoner  ;  for  his  person  was  not  bound. 

30.  And  when  he  had  thus  spoken,  the  king  rose 
up,  and  the  governor  and  Bernice,  and  they  that  sat 
with  them. 

So  strong  was  the  impression  made  upon  the  mind  of  Agrippa, 
by  the  language  of  Paul,  that  he  could  bear  to  hear  him  no  more, 
fearing  that  he  might  be  compelled  to  yield  to  his  arguments.  He, 
therefore,  puts  a  stop  to  the  defence  by  rising  up  ;  and  his  compan- 
ions follow  his  example. 

31.  And  when  they  were  gone  aside,  they  talked 
between  themselves,  saying,  This  man  doth  nothing 
worthy  of  death  or  of  bonds. 

32.  Then  said  Agrippa  unto  Festus,  This  man 
might  have  been  set  at  liberty,  if  he  had  not  appealed 
unto  Caesar. 


Observe  the  dignity  and  value  of  those  prospects  which  the  gos- 
pel of  Christ  communicates.  They  induce  a  prisoner  to  prefer  his 
situation  to  that  of  a  Roman  governor,  surrounded  with  the  ensigns 
of  power  ;  to  that  of  a  royal  prince,  seated  upon  a  throne;  and  the 
best  wish  that  he  can  form  for  them  is,  that  they  may  become  like 
himself,  believers  in  Christianity.  This  faith,  he  is  persuaded,  will 
confer  upon  them  more  real  dignity j'more  solid  happiness,  than  the 
pleasures  of  a  court  or  the  authority  of  a  prince.  For,  to  use  his 
own  language,  although  he  appears  as  sorrowful  he  is  always  rejwic- 
ing  ;  poor,  yet  making  many  rich  :  as  having  nothing,  but  possessing 
all  things.  The  same  happiness,  Christians,  is  yours.  If  you  know 
its  value,  you  will  prefer  it  to  all  the  honours  and  pleasures  of  the 
world. 


262  ACTS.  (xxvii.  1—26. 


SECTION  XLIII. 
PauFs  Voyage  and  Shipwreck. 

Acts  xxvii.  1 — 44. 

1.  And  when  it  was  determined  that  we  should 

sail  into  Italy,  they  delivered   Paul  and  certain  other 

prisoners    unto  one,   named    Julius,    a  centurion    of 

Augustus's  band. 

From  the  writer's  making  use  of  the  plural  number,  in  this  verse, 
it  appears  that  he  was  a  companion  of  Paul  in  the  voyage.  This 
circumstance  enabled  them  to  give  so  particular  an  account  of  it. 
The  port  from  which  they  sailed  was  Cssarea. 

2.  And  entering  into  a  ship  of  Adramyttium,  we 
launched,  meaning  to  sail  by  the  coast  of  Asia; 
"  entering  into  a  ship  of  Adramyttium,  which  was 
hound  to  the  coasts  of  Asia,  we  set  sail ;"  one  Aristar- 
chus,  a  Macedonian,   of  Thessalonica,  being  with  us. 

He  was  a  Christian  brother,  who,  as  well  as  Luke,  accompanied 
the  apostle  in  his  travels,  and  is  afterwards  mentioned  as  his  fellow- 
prisoner  at  Rome.     Col.  iv.  10. 

3.  And  the  next  day  we  touched  at  Sidon,  a  city 
of  Phoenicia.  And  Julius  courteously  entreated  Paul, 
and  gave  him  liberty  to  go  unto  his  friends  to  refresh 
himself. 

He  permitted  him  to  experience  the  attention  of  Christian 
friends,  who  might  furnish  him  with  necessaries  for  the  voyage. 

4.  And   when  we  had  launched  from  thence,  we 

sailed  under  Cyprus,  because  the  winds  were  contrary. 

They  sailed  under  the  north,  rather  than  the  south-side  of  the 
island,  in  order  to  shelter  themselves  from  the  violence  of  the 
wind. 

5.  And  when  we  had  sailed  over  the  sea  of  Cilicia 
and  Pamphylia,  we  came  to  Myra,  a  city  of  Lycia. 

6.  And  there  the  centurion  found  a  ship  of  Alex- 
andria, laden  with  wheat,  as  it  should  seem,  sailing 
into  Italy,  and  he  put  us  therein. 

7.  And  when  we  had  sailed  slowly  many  days, 
and  scarce  were  come  over  against  Cnidus,  a  promon- 


xxvli.  1--26.)  ACTS.  263 

tory  on  the  continent  of  Asia,  the  wind  not  suffering 
us,  "  the  wind  opposing  ?«.<?,"  we  sailed  under  Crete, 
a  large  island  now  called  Candia,  over  against  Sal- 
mone,  or,  "  by  Salmone,^^  a  promontory  on  the  island; 

8.  And,  hardly  passing  it,  came  unto  a  place 
which  is  called  the  Fair  Havens,  the  principal  port, 
and  still  called  by  the  same  name,  nigh  whereunto  was 
the  city  of  Lasea. 

9.  Now,  when  much  time  was  spent,  and  when 
sailing  was  now  dangerous,  because  the  fast  was  now 
already  past,  Paul  admonished  them  ; 

The  fast  was  that  of  the  Atonement,  observed  on  the  tenth  day 
of  Tisri,  or  the  nineteenth  of  September,  and  near  the  approach 
of  winter. 

10.  And  said  unto  them,  Sirs,  I  perceive  that  this 
voyage  will  be  with  hurt,  ^^  with  injury,''''  and  much 
damage,  not  only  of  the  lading  and  ship,  but  also  of 
our  lives. 

This  he  declared,  probably,  from  his  own  natural  sagacity,  with- 
out any  divine  assistance  :  the  final  issue  of  the  voyage,  was  not 
comnumicated  to  him  till  afterwards.  To  justify  the  conduct  of 
Paul  in  thus  giving  his  opinion  to  mariners,  it  has  been  observed, 
that  he  had  often  been  at  sea,  in  the  diflerent  journies  which  he 
undertook,  and  might  thence  acquire  some  knowledge  of  maritime 
aflairs.  From  himself  we  learn,  tliat  he  had  often  been  exposed 
to  great  danger  on  this  element,  having,  as  he  tells  us,  been  thrice 
shipwrecked,  and  having  spent  a  night  and  a  day  floating  in  the 
deep. 

11.  Nevertheless,  the  centurion  believed  the  mas- 
ter and  the  owner,  "  the  pilot  and  the  master,''''  of  the 
ship,  more  than  those  things  which  were  spoken  by 
Paul. 

12.  And  because  the  haven  was  not  commodious 
to  winter  in,  the  more  part  advised  to  depart  thence 
also,  if  by  any  means  they  might  attain  to  Phenice, 
and  there  to  winter,  which  is  a  haven  of  Crete,  and 
lieth  towards,  "  looketh  towards,''''  the  south-west  and 
north-west. 

Having  two  diflerent  aspects,  this  harbour  would  be  sheltered 
from  most  winds. 

13.  And  when  the  south  wind  blew  softly,  suppo- 
sing that  they  had  obtained  their  purpose,  i.  e.  that 


2G4  ACTS.  (xxvii.  1—26. 

this  wind  loould  enable  them  to  accomplish  it,  loosing 
thence,  they  sailed  close  by  Crete. 

14.  But  not  long  after,  there  arose  against  it  a 
tempestuous  wind,  called  Euroclydon. 

As  this  word  never  occurs  in  any  other  author,  it  is  not  easy  to 
ascertain  what  kind  of  wind  it  means;  hut  it  was  probably  tl)e 
same  with  that  which  is  now  called  a  Levanter,  and  which  is  not 
confined  to  one  point,  but  blows  from  the  northeast  or  south-east. 
From  the  fears  entertained  on  the  present  occasion  of  being  driven 
to  the  coasts  of  Africa,  it  should^seem  that  it  came  from  the  north- 
east;  as  such  a  wind  would  carry  them  directly  to  that  quarter. 

15.  And  when  the  ship  was  caught,  ^^  teas  carried 
away  with  it,^^  and  could  not  bear  up  into  the  wind, 
we  let  her  drive  : 

16.  And  running  up  under  a  certain  island  called 
Clauda,  at  the  western  extremily  of  the  island.)  we 
had  much  work  to  come  by  the  boat,  "  to  make 
ourselves  masters  of  the  boat  ,•" 

17.  Which  when  we  had  taken  w^^,  to -prevent  it 
from  being  staved,  they  used  helps,  they  called  for  the 
assistance  of  all,  undergirding  the  ship,  throwing  cables 
round  it  to  prevent  it  bulging  ;  and,  fearing  lest  they 
should  fall  into  the  quicksands,  m  the  Greek,  the  Syr- 
tis,  a  sand-bank  on  the  coast  of  Africa,  noted  for  ship- 
wrecks, strake  sail,  and  so  were  driven. 

18.  And,  being  exceedingly  tossed  with  a  tem- 
pest, the  next  day  they  lightened  the  ship,  by  casting 
out  the  heaviest  and  least  valuable  articles. 

19.  And  the  third  day  we  cast  out  with  our  own 
hands  the  tackling  of  the  ship,  perhaps,  "  the  lading 
of  the  ship  ;^^  for  the  tackling  could  not  add  much  to 
its  weight. 

20.  And  when  neither  sun  nor  stars  in  many  days 
appeared,  and  no  small  tempest  lay  on  us,  all  hope 
that  we  should  be  saved  was  then  taken  away. 

As  the  compass  was  not  then  discovered,  if  the  sun  and  stars 
were  not  seen,  there  was  nothing  whereby    to  guide  their   course. 

21.  But,  after  long  abstinence,  Paul  stood  forth  in 
the  midst  of  them,  and  said,    Sirs,   ye   should    have 


xxvii.  27—44.)  ACTS.  265 

hearkened  unto  me,  and  not  have  loosened  from  Crete, 
and  to  have  gained,  "  to  get,^^  this  harm  and  loss. 

22.  And  now  I  exhort  jou  to  be  of  good  cheer, 
"  of  good  courage  ;"  for  there  shall  be  no  loss  of  any 
man's  life,  among  you,  but  of  the  ship  : 

23.  For  there  stood  by  me  this  night  an  angel  of 
God,  "  of  the  God,''''  whose  I  am,  and  whom  I  serve, 

24.  Saying,  Fear  not,  Paul.  Thou  must  be 
brought  before  Cassar,  and  lo,  God  hath  given  thee  all 
them  that  sail  with  thee. 

Paul  had,  probably,  prayed  for  their  lives  ;  and  God  was  gra- 
ciously pleased  to  comply  with  his  request. 

25.  Wherefore,  Sirs,  be  of  good  courage ;  for  I 
believe  God,  ^^  I  trust  in  God,^^  that  it  shall  be  even 
as  it  was  told  me, 

26.  Howbeit,  "  moreover, ^^  we  must  be  cast  on  a 
certain  island. 


Observe,  the  advantage  which  religion  gives  to  men  in  the  most 
critical  and  trying  situations.  A:nidst  the  horrors  of  the  tempest, 
while  the  ocean  every  moment  threatens  destruction,  while  every 
heart  is  overwhelmed  with  despair,  the  Jewish  prisoner,  conscious 
of  the  favour  and  protection  of  the  Almighty  Being,  whose  he  is, 
and  whom  he  professes  to  serve,  is  calm  and  undisturbed,  courageous 
and  thankful.  He  alone  is  capable  of  reviving  the  drooping  spirits 
of  his  companions.  He  well  knew  that  the  raging  sea  and  furious 
hurricane  were  under  the  control  of  Omnipotence  ;  and  that  wher- 
ever he  has  promised  security,  his  engagement  will  be  fulfilled. 
Endeavour,  my  brethren,  to  acquire  a  like  temper.  Cultivate  the 
same  exalted  ideas  of  divine  power  :  perform  your  duty  at  all 
times  with  the  same  zeal  and  ardour  as  this  eminent  servant  of  the 
Most  High,  and  you  will  enjoy  the  same  serenity,  you  will  display 
the  same  greatness  of  mind. 


27.  But  when  the  fourteenth  night  was  come,  as 
we  were  driven  up  and  down  in  Adria,  about  midnight 
the  shipmen  deemed  that  they  drew  near  to  some 
country. 

The  Adriatic  sea  was  not  limited  by  the  ancients  to  the  gulph 
which  now  bears  that   name,   but   included  the    lonianj  which  lay 

VOL.    III.  2    K 


266  ACTS.  (xxvii.27— 44. 

without  the  gulph,  and  in  which  this  ship  was   now   tossed  by   the 
tempest. 

28.  And  sounded,  and  found  it  twenty  fathoms  ; 
and  when  tliey  had  gone  a  little  farther,  they  sounded 
again,  and  found  it  fifteen  fathoms. 

29.  Then,  fearing  lest  we  should  have  fallen, 
*'  lest  we  should  fall,^^  upon  rocks,  they  cast  four 
anchors  out  of  the  stern,  and  wished  for  the  day. 

30.  And  as  the  shipmen  were  about  to  flee  out  of 
the  ship,  when  they  had  let  down  the  boat  into  the 
sea,  under  colour  as  though  they  would  have  cast 
anchors  out  of  the  fore-ship,  or  lohat  is  usiialhj  culled 
the  forecastle ; 

31.  Paul  said  unto  the  centurion  and  to  the  sol- 
diers, Except  these  abide  in  the  ship,  ye  cannot  be 
saved. 

Without  the  assistance  of  the  sailors,  the  ship  would  naturally 
be  unmanageable,  and  incapable  of  being  conducted  toward  the 
shors. 

32.  Then  the  soldiers  cut  off  the  ropes  of  the 
boat,  and  let  her  fall  off,  in  order  to  prevent  the  intend- 
ed escape. 

33.  And  while  the  day  was  coming  on,  Paul 
besought  them  all  to  take  meat,  saying,  This  day  is 
the  fourteenth  day  that  ye  have  tarried,  and  contin- 
ued fasting,  having  taken  nothing. 

These  words  cannot  be  understood  literally,  as  if  the  crew  had 
been  absolutely  without  food  for  so  long  a  period  ;  for  then  they 
must  have  perished  by  famine  ;  but  they  had  taken  nothing  compara- 
tively, having  been  reduced,  probably,  to  short  allowance.  For 
although  the  ship  might  be  a  corn  vessel,  and  we  read  afterwards 
of  wheat  being  thrown  into  the  sea,  it  is  probable  that  the  greater 
part  of  it  had  been  disposed  of  in  that  way  before,  and  that  this 
was  no  more  than  what  was  thought  absolutely  necessary  for  supply- 
ing their  wants  till  they  came  to  land. 

34.  Wherefore,  I  pray  you  to  take  some  meat;  for 
this  is  for  your  health,  ^'- for  this  concerns  your  safety;'^'' 
for  there  shall  not  a  hair  fall  from  the  head  of  any  of 
you. 

A  proverbial  expression,  signifying  that  they  should  be  safe. 

35.  And  when  he  had  thus  spoken,  he  took  bread, 


xxvil.  27—44.)  ACTS.  267 

and  gave  thanks  to  God  in  the  presence  of  them  all, 
and  when  he  had  broken  it,  he  began  to  eat. 

36.  Then  were  thej  all  of  good  cheer,  ^'- then  were 
they  all  encouraged,''''  and  they  also  took  some  meat. 

They  seem  now  to  have  believed  Paul,  in  respect  to  the  assuran- 
ces which  he  gave  them  that  their  lives  should  be  preserved. 

37.  And  we  were  in  all  in  the  ship  two  hundred, 
threescore  and  sixteen  souls. 

38.  And  when  they  had  eaten  enough,  they  light- 
ened the  ship,  and  cast  out  the  wheat  into  the  sea. 

39.  And  when  it  was  day,  they  knew  not  the  land  ; 
but  they  discovered  a  certain  creek,  "  a  bay,^^  with  a 
shore,  into  the  which  they  were  minded,  ^'■they  resolv- 
cf/,"  if  it  were  possible,  to  thrust  in  the  ship. 

40.  And  when  they  had  taken  up  the  anchors, 
they  committed  themselves  unto  the  sea,  "  cutting 
away  the  anchors  they  left  them  in  the  sea,^^  and  loosed 
the  rudder-bands,  and  hoisted  up  the  mainsail  to  the 
wind,  and  made  toward  shore. 

The  rudders  of  this  ship,  (for  the  ancients  made  use  of  two,) 
had  probably  been  fastened  with  chains,  while  the  vessel  was  driven 
before  the  wind,  but  were  now  loosed  to  direct  its  course. 

41.  And  falling  into  a  place  where  two  seas  met, 
i.  e.  a  point  of  land  washed  on  either  side  by  the  sea, 
they  ran  the  ship  aground,  and  the  forepart  stuck  fast 
and  remained  unmoveable,  but  the  hinder  part  was 
broken  with  the  violence  of  the  waves. 

42.  And  the  soldiers'  counsel  was  to  kill  the  pris- 
oners, lest  any  of  them  should  swim  out,  and  escape. 

An  inhuman  and  barbarous  proposal,  but  sufficiently  agreeable  to 
the  manners  of  the  times. 

43.  But  the  centurion,  willing  to  save  Paul,  kept 
them  from  their  purpose  ;  and  commanded  that  they 
which  could  swim  should  cast  themselves  first  into  the 
sea,  and  get  to  land  : 

44.  And  the  rest,  some  on  boards,  and  some 
on  broken  pieces  of  the  ship ;  and  so  it  came  to  pass 
that  they  escaped  all  safe  to  land. 


268  ACTS.  (xxviii.  1—16. 

In  this  chapter  \vc  have  a  striking  picture  of  those  distresses  and 
dangers  to  which  many  persons  are  exposed,  wlio  trust  their  safety 
to  the  unstahle  winds  and  waves:  but  if  we  experience  these  dis- 
tresses ourselves,  or  hear  of  them  from  others,  or  of  something 
more  calamitous  tiian  what  is  here  recorded,  let  us  not  arraign  the 
wisdom  or  goodness  of  the  Divine  Being,  for  exposing  his  children 
to  them,  by  assigning  so  large  a  portion  of  the  globe  to  the  watery 
element:  for  it  is  by  this  element  that  the  deficiencies  of  one 
country  are  supplied  from  the  abundance  of  another,  and  the 
miseries  of  famine  averted.  It  is  by  this  tliat  we  have  easy  access 
to  the  ren)otest  nations,  and  make  the  rich  productions  of  their  soils 
or  the  happy  fruits  of  their  skill  our  own;  that  we  enjoy  in  our 
own  houses  the  treasures  of  the  eastern  and  western  world,  without 
the  inconveniences  of  a  scorching  sun  or  pestilential  climate,  and 
convey  to  them  the  valuable  exchange  of  our  knowledge,  our 
arts,  and  our  manufactures.  Ihus  the  advantages  of  every  soil,  of 
every  climate  and  country,  are  rendered  the  common  blessings  of 
all  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth,  and  the  whole  mass  of  mankind  is 
connected  together  as  one  family.  Let  no  one,  therefore,  censure 
a  part  of  the  plan  of  Divine  Providence,  whicii  is  productive  of  so 
much  benefit.  If  aff'ecting  examples  of  distress  and  shipwreck  in 
the  deep  sometimes  appear,  yet  those  instances  are  but  tew;  while 
those  of  prosperous  voyages  andsafeconveyanceare  many.  Besides, 
we  are  not  without  hope  that  these  evils,  however  great  they  may  be  at 
present,  will  be  greatly  alleviated,  if  not  entirely  removed.  By  the 
discovery  of  the  compass  and  other  improvements,  the  dang'^rs  and 
uncertainty  of  navigation  have  been  greatly  diminished  ;  and  who 
will  presume  to  say  that  the  bounty  of  Providence  or  the  skill  of 
man,  in  relation  to  this  subject,  is  exhausted  ? 


SECTION  XLIV. 


Paul  and  Jiis  companions  are  hospitably  received  on  the  island  of 
Melita.     He  pursues  his  voyage,  and  arrives  at  Rome. 


Acts  xxviii.  1 — IG. 

1.  And  when  they  were  escaped,  then  they  knew 
that  the  island  was  called  Melita. 

This  island  lies  between  Sicily  and  Africa,  and  is  now  called 
Malta  The  circumstances  of  the  apostle's  shi|)wreck  and  residence 
here,  produced  a  kind  of  superstitious  veneration  for  the  place, 
in  consequence  of  which  it  was  given  to  the  knights  of  St. 
John  of  Jerusalem,  when  they  were  expelled  by  the  Turks  from 
Rhodes.  These  knights  continued  to  occu|)y  it,  till  it  was  lately 
taken  possession  of  by  the  French.  Several  learned  men  have  in- 
deed maintained  of  late  that  the  place  of  the  apostle's  shipwreck 
was  not  the  African,  but  the  Illyrian  Melita,  another  island  bearing 


xxviii.  1—16.)  ACTS.  269 

the  same  name  in  the  Adriatic  sjiilph,  and  now  called  Melada.  But 
(he  course  which  he  observes  in  his  passage  hence  to  Rome,  plainly 
shows,  I  conceive,  tliat  he  must  have  come  from  Malta,  and  not 
Melada.* 

2.  And  the  baibarous  people  showed  us  no  little 
kindness:  for  thej  kindled  a  fire,  and  received  us 
every  one,  because  of  the  present  rain,  and  because 
of  the  cold. 

It  is  well  known  that  the  Latins  and  Greeks  called  all  nations 
barbarous  who  spoke  a  lansnage  different  from  their  own.  Hence 
the  inhabitants  of  this  island  are  so  called,  being  a  colony  of  the 
Phoenicians,  and  S|)eakin2[  that  language.  That  they  were  not  an 
uncivilized  people  appears  tVom  their  behaviour,  which  is  full  of 
humanity  and  kindness.  That  a  very  considerable  degree  of  cold 
accompanies  rain,  even  in  southerly  and  warm  climates,  is  a  fact 
well  established  by  the  testimony  of  travellers.  We  are  not, 
therefore,  to  be  surprised  that  it  siiuuld  be  felt  at  Melita. 

3.  And  when  Paul  had  gatliered  a  bundle  of  sticks, 
and  laid  them  on  the  fire,  there  came  a  viper  out  of 
the  iieat,  ^^ driven  out  by  the  lieat,''^  and  fastened  upon 
his  hand. 

4.  And  when  the  barbarians  saw  the  venomous 
beast,  "  the  animaW''  hang  on  his  hand,  they  said 
among  themselves.  No  doubt  tiiis  man  is  a  murderer, 
whom,  though  he  hath  escaped  the  sea,  yet  vengeance 
sufifereth  not  to  live. 

5.  And  he  shook  off  the  animal  into  the  fire,  and 
felt  no  harm. 

6.  Howbeit,  ^^nevertheless,''''  they  looked  when 
he  should  have  swollen  or  fallen  down  dead  suddenly; 
but  after  they  had  looked  a  great  while,  and  saw  no 
harm  came  to  him,  they  changed  their  minds,  and 
said  that  he  was  a  god. 

The  bite  of  this  animal  is  well  known  to  be  mortal,  and  accom- 
panied with  such  swellings  and  inflammations  as  the  inhabitants 
expected.  Such,  no  doiibr,  would  have  been  its  effects  in  the 
present  case,  had  not  the  apostle  been  miraculously  healpd  by  the 
power  of  God  ;  the  more  especially,  as  the  wound  was  inflicted  by 
the  venomous  creature,  when  enraged  by  heat.  In  this  instance, 
therefore,  tlie  promise  of  Ciirist  to  his  disciples  was  literally  accom- 
plished, Mark  xvi.  18,  "They  shall  take  up  serpents,  and  if  they 
shall  drink  any  deadly  thing,  it  shall  not  hurt  them." 

*  Theolog.  Repos.  Vol.  IV.  p.  39. 


270  ACTS.  (xxviii.  1—16. 

7.  Ill  the  same  quarters  were  possessions  of  the 
chief  man  of  the  island,  whose  name  was  Publius, 
either  the  Roman  governor,  to  which  people  the  island 
loas  subject,  or  a  Roman  of  rank,  who  received  us, 
and  lodged  us  three  days  courteously. 

8.  And  it  came  to  pass,  "i7  happened^  that  the 
father  of  Publius  lay  sick  of  a  fever  and  of  a  bloody 
flux;  to  whom  Paul  entered  in,  and  prayed,  and  laid 
his  hands  on  him,  and  healed  him. 

Paul  laid  his  hands  upon  him  to  point  out  for  whom  he  prayed,  or 
to  show  that  the  divine  virtue  came  from  himself. 

9.  So  when  this  was  done,  others  also,  who  had 
diseases  in  the  island,  came,  and  were  healed ; 

10.  Who  also  honoured  us  with  many  honours, 
*'  with  many  presents,''''  and  when  we  departed,  they 
laded  us  with  such  things  as  were  necessary,  they  put 
on  hoard  the  ship  things  necessary  for  the  voyage. 

11.  And  after  three  months,  we  departed  in  a 
ship  of  Alexandria,  which  had  wintered  in  the  isle, 
whose  sign  was  Castor  and  Pollux. 

This  ship,  as  well  as  that  in  which  the  apostle  first  embarked, 
was  probably  carry ins^  corn  from  Alexandria  to  Rome.  In  such  a 
voyage,  the  island  of  Malta  would  lie  directly  in  her  course,  and, 
from  the  excellence  of  its  iiarbours,  be  a  convenient  place  in  which 
to  spend  the  winter,  to  avoid  the  storms  which  prevail  at  that  season, 
and  which  were  so  nearly  fatal  to  the  apostle  and  his  ship's  com- 
pany. The  same  thing  cannot  be  said  of  the  other  island,  wliich 
has  no  good  harbours,  and  is  quite  remote  from  the  line  of  sailing. 
This  serves  to  confirm  what  was  before  said  about  the  identity  of 
Melita  and  iMalta. 

Castor  and  Pollux,  according  to  the  theology  of  the  heathens, 
were  the  twin-sons  of  Jupiter,  and  ranked  among  the  gods.  To 
the  protection  of  one  or  both  these  deities  the  ship  was  entrusted, 
and  carved  images  of  them  were  fixed  in  some  conspicuous  part  of 
it.  To  mention  what  sign  the  ship  bore,  may  appear  to  some  unworthy 
of  the  historian  :  but  it  served  to  distinguish  this  ship  from  another, 
and  to  record  the  kindness  which  they  experienced  from  the  com- 
mander. It  is  also  one  of  those  particulars  in  a  narrative,  a  refer- 
ence to  which  gives  it  credibility. 

12.  And  landing  at  Syracuse,  a  port  in  the  island 
of  Sicily,  we  tarried  there  three  days. 

This  place  lay  directly  in  their  passage  from  Malta  to  Rome 

13.  And    from    thence    we    fetched    a    compass, 


xxviii.i— 16.)  ACTS.  271 

"  coasted  roimd,^^  and  came  to  Rhegium,  a  sea-port 
in  the  most  southern  part  of  Italy,  and  after  one  day, 
the  south  wind  blew,  and  we  came  on  to  Puteoli,  a 
celebrated  town  on  the  bay  of  Naples  ; 

There  were  Christians  at  this  phice  before  the  arrival  of  the 
apostle  and  his  companions,  probably  in  consequence  of  the  inter- 
course which  the  inhabitants  had  with  foreign  nations. 

14.  Where  we  found  brethren,  and  were  desired 
to  tarry  with  them  seven  days ;  and  so  we  went 
toward  Rome. 

15.  And  from  thence,  when  the  brethren  heard  of 
us,  they  came  to  meet  us  as  far  as  Appi  Forum,  about 
fifty  miles  from  Rome,   and  the  Three   Taverns,  or, 

"  Tres  Tabernce,^^  distant  about  thirty  miles  from  the 
city. 

We  read  of  strangers  of  Rome  being  at  Jerusalem  on  the  day  of 
Pentecost.  It  is  probable,  therefore,  that  Christianity  was  taught 
in  that  city  upon  their  return.  We  know  that  a  church  had  been 
long  established  in  this  metropolis  of  the  world ;  for  the  apostle 
had  written  his  epistle  to  the  Romans  several  years  before  this 
time.  The  members  of  this  church  came  out  to  meet  Paul,  to 
testify  their  respect  for  his  character. 

Whom  when  Paul  saw,  he  thanked  God,  and  took 
courage. 

Before  this  time  he  had  been  a  little  dejected  by  the  prospect  of 
appearing  alone  before  the  emperor  of  Rome,  to  take  his  trial ;  but 
the  sight  of  so  many  Christian  friends,  by  whose  society  he  might 
be  refreshed  in  his  confinement,  and  who  might  aid  his  design  of 
doing  good,  revived  his  spirits,  filled  his  heart  and  lips  with  grati- 
tude to  the  great  Disposer  of  all  events,  and  enabled  liim  to 
proceed  with  cheerfulness  and  vigour. 

16.  And  when  we  came  to  Rome,  the  centurion 
delivered  the  prisoners  to  the  captain  of  the  guard  : 
but  Paul  was  suffered  to  dwell  by  himself,  with  a 
soldier  that  kept  him. 

This  distinction  was  made  between  him  and  the  other  prisoners, 
probably,  in  consequence  of  the  representations  given  of  his  char- 
acter and  behaviour  by  Julius,  the  centurion  who  had  conducted 
him  to  Rome. 


272  ACTS.  (xxviii.  1—16. 


REFLECTIONS. 

1.  How  commendable  was  tlie  conduct  of  these  islanders,  in 
their  readiness  to  relieve  the  unfortunate  sufferers  by  shipwreck  ! 
They  have  furnished  an  example  of  attention  and  liumanity,  in 
reading  of  which  the  more  enlightened  professors  of  the  };ospcl 
may  well  blush,  who  fiequently,  with  a  barbarity  that  would  dis- 
grace savages,  take  away  what  the  fury  of  the  tempests  has  spared, 
and  endeavour  to  add  to  distress,  instead  of  alleviating  it.  The 
dictates  of  nature  had  taught  these  men  to  behave  in  a  different 
manner.  Their  hearts  were  open  to  the  impressions  of  pity,  and 
every  selfish  passion  was  extinguished  and  lost  in  the  divine  power 
of  sympathy.  In  the  calamities  which  they  beheld,  they  recognized 
evils  which  they  themselves  had  already  experienced,  or  might  one 
day  suffer,  and  cheerfully  gave  that  relief,  which,  in  like  circum- 
stances, they  would  reasonably  desire.  Justly  was  their  meritori- 
ous conduct  rewarded  by  that  Providence,  which  suffers  not  a  cup 
of  cold  water  presented  to  the  distressed  to  pass  unnoticed,  by 
healing  their  sick,  and  sending  among  them  the  doctrine  of  the 
gospel.  But  double  vengeance  must  they  expect,  who  trample 
upon  all  the  principle.s  of  humanity,  by  making  the  unfortunate 
and  helpless  their  prey. 

2.  In  the  opinion  which  these  islanders  formed  of  Paul,  when 
they  saw  him  attacked  by  a  venomous  creature,  whose  bite  was 
mortal,  we  perceive  a  disposition  to  judge  of  men's  characters  by 
their  condition,  and  to  conclude  that  there  must  be  uncon)mon 
guilt,  wherever  there  are  uncommon  calamities — a  conclusion 
which  is  certainly  false  and  dangerous ;  for  it  not  only  misleads 
the  j:idgment,  but  perverts  the  heart.  For  such  an  error,  in  the 
present  instance,  we  may  find  a  ready  apology  in  the  ignorance  of 
those  who  had  fallen  into  it,  who  were  unacquainted  with  the 
true  God  and  with  the  character  of  his  providence:  but  it  cannot 
be  so  easily  excused,  when  found,  a^,  alas,  is  to:)  often  the  case, 
among  Christians,  whose  religion  plainly  inculcates  upon  them  this 
maxim,  that  although  virtue  be,  upon  the  whole,  accorn[)aniod  with 
happiness,  anl  vice  with  misery,  yet,  in  regard  to  particular  events 
and  circumstances,  all  thmgs  come  alike  to  all,  and  one  event 
happeneth  to  the  righteous  and  to  the  wicked. 

3.  When  men  are  employed  in  useful  undertakings,  and  espe- 
cially when  they  suffer  in  a  good  cause,  let  us  do  every  thing  in 
our  power  to  encourage  their  exertions  or  to  alleviate  their  suffer- 
ings. Such  was  the  conduct  of  these  pious  Romans  toward  the 
apostle;  and  it  proved  like  a  cordial  to  his  heart.  If  this  divine 
messenger,  conscious  as  he  was  of  possessing  miraculous  powers, 
and  of  being  under  divine  direction,  experienced  the  benefit  of 
such  assistance,  it  must  be  still  more  necessary  for  ordinary  Chris- 
tians. Let  us  not,  therefore,  withhold  from  them  services  which 
are  so  easily  performed.      They  are  recommended  upon  the  plain 


xxvill.  17—31.)  ACTS.  273 

principles  of  humanity  and  benevolence  ;  they  are  also  enjoined 
by  the  authority  of  our  Master,  who  has  pronounced  a  severe  sen- 
tence of  condemnation  upon  those  who  refuse  to  visit  and  comfort 
his  disciples,  when  in  prison  or  in  bonds. 


SECTION  XI.V. 

Paul  addresses  lams  elf  to  the  Jews  at  Rome,  who  are  divided  in 
their  oj)i7iions.     He  continues  for  two  years  preaching  the  gospel. 

Acts  xxviii.  17 — 31. 

17.  And  it  came  to  pass,  that  after  three  days, 
Paul  called  the  chief  of  the  Jews  together,  and  when 
they  were  come  together,  he  said  unto  them,  Brethren, 
thouojh  J  have  committed  nothing  against  the  people 
or  customs  of  our  fathers,  yet  was  I  delivered  prisoner 
from  Jerusalem  into  the  hands  of  the  Romans, 

18.  Who,  when  they  had  examined  me,  would 
have  let  me  go,  because  there  was  no  cause  of  death 
in  me. 

19.  But  when  the  Jews  spake  against  it,  I  was 
constrained  to  appeal  unto  Caesar ;  not  that  I  had 
ought  to  accuse  my  nation  of. 

20.  For  this  cause,   therefore,  have   I    called    for 

you,  to  see  you,  and  to  speak  with  you  ;   because  that 

for  the  hope  of  Israel  I  am  bound  with  this  chain. 

As  Paul  came  to  Rome  as  a  prisoner,  he  was  well  aware  that  the 
Jews  would  entertain  ah  unfavourable  opinion  of  him  ;  especially 
when  they  heard  that  he  was  a  prisoner  for  acting  contrary  to  the 
customs  of  their  ancestors,  to  which  they  were  all  zealously 
attached.  To  remove  this  impression,  he  assures  them  that  the 
Romans,  by  whom  he  had  been  examined,  had  judged  him  inno- 
cent, and  were  willing  to  let  him  go;  and  that  if  their  countrymen 
did  not  concur  in  this  opinion,  it  was  only  in  consequence  of  his  be- 
lieving that  God  had  raised  up  that  illustrious  person  who  was  the 
common  hope  of  the  whole  nation  ;  in  short,  that  he  was  guilty  of 
no  crime  but  that  of  being  a  Christian.  But  his  motives  for 
becoming  one  he  was  willing  to  explain.  To  this  the  Jews  reply, 
that  neither  by  letter  nor  by  word  of  mouth  had  any  evil  been 
reported  of  him  ;  that,  therefore,  they  were  not  prejudiced  against 
him,  but  willing  to  hear  what  ^e  had  to  say  in  defence  of  himself 

VOL.   III.  5    L 


274  ACTS.  (xxviii.  17—31. 

and  the  Christians  ;  although  they  entertained  little  hope  of  being 
convinced,  since  they  found  that  Christians  were  every  where 
censured. 

The  usual  method  of  guarding  prisoners  among  the  Romans, 
was  to  fasten  one  end  of  a  chain  of  suitable  length  to  the  right 
hand  of  the  prisoner,  and  the  other  end  to  the  left  arm  of  the 
soldier,  who  must,  therefore,  constantly  attend  him.  This  was 
the  way  in  which  Paul  was  confined,  and  to  this  he  alludes,  when 
he  says,  that  he  was  bound  with  a  chain. 

21.  And  they  said  unto  him,  We  neither  received 
letters  out  of  Judiea  concerning  thee,  neither  any  of 
the  brethren  that  came,  showed  or  spake  any  harm  of 
thee. 

22.  But  we  desire  to  hear  of  thee,  what  thou 
thinkest :  for  as  concerning  this  sect,  '•'■  in  respect  to 
this  sect,^^  we  know  that  every  where  it  is  spoken 
against. 

So  inveterate  was  the  malice  of  the  Jews  against  Paul,  that  it 
may  perhaps  appear  extraordinary,  that  they  should  not  send  mis- 
representations of  his  character  to  Rome.  But  as  he  went  thither 
as  a  prisoner,  they  did  not  probably  expect  that  he  would  have  any 
intercourse  with  his  countrymen,  and  in  regard  to  the  emperor, 
they  could  not  interfere  with  his  decision. 

23.  And  when  they  had  appointed  him  a  day, 
there  came  many  to  him  into  his  lodging,  to  whom  he 
expounded  and  testified,  "  earnestly  declared,''''  the 
kingdom  of  God  ;  persuading  them  concerning  Jesus, 
both  out  of  the  law  of  Moses,  and  out  of  the  prophets, 
from  morning  till  evening,  ^^from  the  dawn  of  day 
until  the  eve7iin<r.'^^ 

What  he  declared  concerning  the  kingdom  of  God,  was,  no 
doubt,  that  it  was  not  of  a  temporal,  but  a  spiritual  nature  ;  and 
concerning  Jesus,  that  he  was  the  Messiah.  This  he  endeavoured 
to  prove  from  the  prophets,  who  had  spoken  in  very  clear  terms  of 
him.  The  law  of  Moses,  indeed,  is  mentioned  as  furnishing  him 
with  proofs :  but  this  can  be  no  more  than  the  books  of  Moses, 
which  went  by  the  name  of  the  law,  and  in  one  of  which,  he 
is  represented  as  saying  to  the  people,  "  a  prophet  will  the  Lord 
your  God  raise  up  unto  you  from  among  your  brethren  like  unto 
me — unto  him  ye  shall  hearken."  Deut.  xviii.  15.  This  language 
may  be  understood  of  a  succession  of  prophets  ;  but  it  was  applied 
to  Christ  by  the  first  preachers  of  the  gospel.  The  earnestness 
which  Paul  discovered  on  this  occasion  is  remarkable ;  he  began 
his  discourse  with  the  dawn  of  the  day,  and  continued  it  until 
evening. 


xxviii.  17—31.)  ACTS.  275 

24.  And  some  believed  the  things  which  were 
spoken,  and  some  believed  not. 

Some  were  convinced  by  his  arguments,  and  became  Chris- 
tians :  others  remained  unbelievers. 

25.  And  when  thej  agreed  not  among  themselves, 
thej  departed,  after  that  Paul  had  spoken  one  word, 
"one  thing,^^  Well  spake  the  Holy  Spirit  by  Esaias 
the  prophet  unto  our  fathers, 

26.  Saying,  Go  unto  this  people,  and  say.  Hear- 
ing, ye  shall  hear,  and  shall  not  understand  ;  and 
seeing,  ye  shall  see,  and  not  perceive  : 

27.  For   the  heart   of  this  people  is  waxed  gross, 

and  their  ears  are  dull  of  hearing,  and  their  eyes  have 

they  closed,  lest  they  should   see  with  their  eyes,  and 

hear  with  their  ears,  and  understand  with  their   heart, 

and  should  be  converted,  and  I  should  heal  them. 

This  character  was  given  of  the  Jews  in  the  time  of  the  prophet 
Isaiah,  vi.  9;  but  when  the  prophet  asks,  "Lord,  how  long?" 
i.  e.  how  long  will  this  incorrigible  temper  continue  ?  he  answered, 
"  Until  the  cities  be  wasted  without  inhabitant,  and  the  houses 
without  men,  and  the  land  be  utterly  desolate."  This  reply  from 
God  shows  that  the  prophecy  was  intended  as  a  description  of  the 
children  of  Israel,  until  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  and  there- 
fore in  the  times  of  the  Messiah,  In  this  view  it  is  frequently 
used  by  Christ. 

28.  Be  it  known,  therefore,  unto  you,  that  the 
salvation  of  God  is  sent  unto  the  Gentiles,  and  that 
they  will  hear  it. 

It  was  usual  with  this  apostle,  in  the  different  places  which  he 
visited,  to  preach  the  gospel  first  to  the  Jews,  and  if  they  rejected 
it,  then  to  address  himself  to  the  Gentiles.  It  was  in  this  manner 
that  he  proposed  to  proceed  on  the  present  occasion. 

29.  And  when  he  had  said  these  words,  the  Jews 
departed,  and  had  great  reasoning  among  themselves, 
"  debating  much  among  themselves. ^^ 

As  many  remained  unconvinced  by  what  the  apostle  had  said, 
while  others  were  convinced,  this  occasioned  many  debates  between 
the  two  parties. 

30.  And  Paul  dwelt  two  whole  years  in  his  own 
hired  house,  and  received  all  that  came  unto  him  ; 

31.  Preaching  the  kiuirdom  of  God,  and  teaching 


276  -  ACTS. 

those  things  which    concern   the   Lord    Jesus  Christ, 
with  all  coniidence,  no  man  forbidding  him. 

It  was  during  the  period  of  his  confinement,  likewise,  that  he 
wrote  several  of  his  epistles. 


Here  this  history  closes,  rather  abruptly,  without  informing  us 
what  became  of  the  apostle  after  this  time,  and  especially,  what 
we  should  particularly  desire  to  know,  the  issue  of  his  trial  :  for 
that  he  was  soon  tried  there  can  bo  little  doubt,  considering  that 
his  accusers  would  be  eager  to  bring  matters  to  this  conclusion, 
and  that  the  witnesses  whom  they  might  send  would  be  in  haste  to 
return  to  their  own  country.  By  saying  that  he  continued  a  pris- 
oner in  his  own  house  for  two  years,  the  historian  intimates,  that  at 
the  end  of  that  time  he  was  set  at  liberty.  This  two  years'  con- 
finement must  be  supposed  to  be  what  was  allotted  him  by  the 
emperor,  cither  to  please  the  Jews,  or  to  punish  a  supposed  offence. 
At  the  end  of  this  time  it  is  thought  that  he  departed  from  Rome, 
and,  after  visiting  parts  of  Asia  and  Greece,  returned  to  it,  intend- 
inof  to  make  it  his  residence  for  the  remainder  of  his  life,  on 
account  of  the  success  which  he  had  had  in  preaching  the  gospel 
there,  and  because  it  was  tlie  place  of  principal  resort  from  all 
parts  of  the  known  world,  and  might  afford  him  a  more  extensive 
field  of  usefulness  than  any  other  place.  His  prospects,  however, 
were  soon  interrupted ;  for  both  he  and  Peter  were  put  to  death  at 
Rome,  in  the  year  64  or  65 :  Paul  having  first  arrived  there  as  a 
prisoner,  in  the  year  61. 

It  was  not  Luke's  design  to  write  the  life  of  Paul,  but  to  give  an 
account  of  the  first  planting  of  Christianity  in  different  parts  of 
the  world,  which  he  has  done  in  a  very  admirable  manner,  and 
having  accomplished  this  object,  by  bringing  down  his  history  to 
the  arrival  of  Paul  at  Rome,  or  to  about  the  thirtieth  year  from  the 
death  of  Christ,  he  closes  his  narrative. 


With  the  end  of  this  history  I  finish  the  plan  which  I  proposed 
to  myself  about  nine  years  ago — that  of  delivering  an  exposition, 
accompanied  with  reflections,  upon  the  historical  books  of  the 
New  Testament ;  having  gone  through  the  entire  gospels  of 
Matthew  and  John,  such  parts  of  Luke  as  are  not  to  be  found  in 
the  above-mentioned  books,  and  the  book  of  Acts.  If  Mark  has 
been  passed  over,  it  is  only  because  he  agrees  in  general  with 
Matthew,  with  only  slight  variations. 

I  shall  now  conclude  with  making  a  few  general  deductions 
from  the  whole  of  the  exposition. 

I.  From  this  exposition  it  appears,  in  the  first  place,  that  the 
New  Testament  does  not  contain  certain  doctrines  which  many 
persons  suppose  to   be   important,   if  not  essential,   parts   of  the 


ACTS.  277 

Christian  system.  I  have  already  had  occasion  to  observe,  that 
the  four  evangelists  are  wholly  silent  on  the  subject  of  such  doc- 
trines;— that,  far  from  countenancing  them,  they,  on  the  contrary, 
uniformly  represent  Jesus  Christ  as  one  of  the  human  race,  only 
distinguished  from  the  rest  by  prophetic  gifts  and  miraculous 
powers ; — that  where  they  have  been  supposed  to  hold  a  different 
language,  it  has  arisen  from  taking  literally  what  ought  to  be  un- 
derstood metaphorically,  or  from  judging  by  the  mere  sound  of 
words,  without  regard  to  sense  or  connexion.  The  same  observa- 
tion is  suggested  by  the  history  which  is  just  closed,  where  the 
apostles  and  first  preachers  speak  of  their  Master  as  of  a  man, 
"  proved  to  be  from  God  by  signs  and  wonders  which  God  wrought 
by  him,"  and  mention  no  other  terms  of  acceptance  with  God 
than  those  of  fearing  him  and  working  righteousness.  The  obvi- 
ous conclusion  hence  is,  that  these  doctrines  form  no  part  of  the 
Christian  system ;  since  it  is  impossible  to  suppose  that  writers, 
whose  professed  object  is  to  give  an  account  of  the  principles  as 
well  as  the  actions  of  Christ  and  his  apostles,  should  omit  to 
mention  what  is  deemed  so  important  a  part  of  their  commission. 
That  the  essential  doctrines  of  Christianity  should  be  found  only 
in  the  epistles  is  in  the  highest  degree  improbable,  and  if  true, 
would  be  no  small  reflection  upon  the  character  of  the  evan- 
gelists. 

2.  I  observe,  that  Christianity  loses  nothing  of  its  practical 
efficacy  or  value  by  the  absence  of  these  doctrines.  The  great 
principles  of  piety  and  morality  remain  unimpaired :  it  still 
enjoins,  with  irresistible  authority,  industry,  temperance,  and 
chastity,  with  respect  to  ourselves  ;  justice,  truth,  and  benevolence, 
in  regard  to  others  ;  humble  reverence  and  cheerful  submission,  in 
regard  to  God.  It  raises  man  to  the  most  exalted  virtue,  and  sup- 
plies him  with  the  purest  enjoyment.  This  I  have  endeavoured 
to  show  by  the  reflections  which  have  been  suggested,  throughout 
the  course  of  the  employment  in  which  I  have  been  engaged. 
But  the  tendency  of  pure  Christianity  to  produce  these  effects  is 
much  more  happily  illustrated  by  the  lives  and  characters  of  the 
first  disciples,  than  by  any  thing  which  can  be  said  upon  this 
subject.  Here  we  see  the  conclusions  of  reason  verified  by  expe- 
rience. In  the  book  of  Acts,  in  particular,  we  behold  the  noblest 
acts  of  fortitude  and  benevolence  performed  by  those  who  had 
nothing  to  support  or  animate  them,  but  the  belief  of  a  doctrine 
which  represented  Christ  in  no  higher  view  than  one  of  the  human 
race.  If  the  same  faith  produces  not  the  same  effects  at  the 
present  day,  the  cause  is  to  be  sought  for  in  men,  and  not  in  their 
principles. 

3.  This  exposition  is  sufficient  to  show,  I  apprehend,  the  pro- 
priety of  a  new  translation  of  the  New  Testament.  To  the  gen- 
eral fidelity  of  the  present  version,  I  have  more  than  once  borne 
my  testimony.  But  it  is  easy  to  show,  that  it  has  many  inaccura- 
cies and  errors,  which  render  it  but  an  imperfect  transcript  of  the 
original.  It  is  highly  desirable,  that  a  more  complete  version 
should  be  made  from  the  Greek  language,  after  the  original  itself 


278  ACTS. 

has  been  corrected  by  the  assistance  of  various  manuscripts  and 
versions ;  for  there  is  no  reason  why  we  should  be  satisfied  with 
secondary  excellence,  when  we  are  capable  of  attaining  the  first. 
This  opinion  is  entertained  by  persons  of  the  highest  eminence 
for  judgment  and  learning,  both  in  the  established  church,  and 
among  protestant  dissenters,  who  have  expressed  a  wish  that  a  new 
version  should  be  made  by  the  joint  labours  of  several  learned 
men.  I  hope  that  the  time  is  not  far  distant,  when  these  wishes 
will  be  accomplished.  In  the  mean  time,  it  will  be  proper  for 
Christians,  who  desire  to  understand  the  Scriptures,  to  avail  them- 
selves of  such  translations  as  have  been  produced  by  the  industry 
of  private  individuals.  In  this  view  I  will  recommend  to  your 
perusal  the  translation  of  the  New  Testament,  by  Mr.  Wakefield, 
as  excelling  in  perspicuity  and  accuracy  any  which  has  yet  ap- 
peared in  our  language.* 

*  At  the  time  when  this  sentence  was  written,  the  excellent  version  of  the  late 
Archbishop  Newcome  had  not  appeared. — Editor. 


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190] 


CHRONOLOGICAL  TABLE. 


k  X.  32—. 
ix.    1—28. 
-13.  Mark 
1—11. 

xi.  1—10. 

John  xii. 

.    12—17. 

Luke  xix. 

-22. 

Mark    xi. 
;— .    Mark 
Luke  xix. 
V.  IG— 24. 
Mark    xii. 
-44.  Matt. 
— .      Luke 

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1-     .   n       •-* 

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ii.    31. 

att.  xxvi. 
John  X 

rid    •<     .7, 

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■^ 

Ji  X 

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1.    M 
29—4 

Matt. 
1—19 
hn  ii. 

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d    ^ 
CO    o 

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T-i                 f*    O 

CO  J5  -5    .    .  =  rt 

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tt.  XX. 

Luke 
41     4 
xiv.  1- 

.  xxi. 
,uke 
2—1 
lark 
5,  4(j 

.      XX 

0—2 

i.  27- 

7,48 

latt. 

3—3 

xiii. 

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CHROx\OLOGICAL  TABLE.  [29 1 


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CHRONOLOGY 


ACTS  OF  THE  APOSTLES. 


A.   D 

29     The  ascension  takes  place  April  28. 

Effusion  of  the  Holy  spirit  on  the  day  of  Pentecost. 

Cure  of  the  lame  man. 

Deaths  of  Ananias  and  Sapphira. 

Imprisonment  of  the  apostles. 

35  Martyrdom  of  Stephen. 

36  Conversion  of  Saul. 
39     Rest  of  the  Christian  churches. 

41  Conversion  of  Cornelius. 

42  Barnabas  and  Paul  come  to  Antioch. 

44  Persecution  by  Herod.  Paul  and  Barnabas  come  to  Jeru- 
salem, with  relief  to  tlio  brethren,  and  return  to 
Antioch. 

45  Paul  and  Barnabas  set  out  from  Antioch  on  their  first  apos- 
tolical journey.  Their  course  Avas  from  Antioch  to 
Seleucia,  Salamis,  Paphos,  Perga,  Antioch  (in  Pisidia,) 
Iconium,  Lystra,  Derbc,  Lystra,  Iconiuni,  Antioch, 
(in  Pisidia,)  Perga,  Attalia,  Antioch. 

49  Council  of  Jerusalem,  which  Paul  and  Barnabas  attend, 
and  afterwards  return  to  Antioch. 

50  Paul's  second  apostolical  journey,  in  company  with  Silas, 
from  Antioch,  to  Syria,  Cilicia,  Derbe,  Lystra,  Phry- 
gia,  Hierapolis,  Laodicea,  Colosse,  Galatia,  Mysia, 
Troas,  Saniothrace,  Neapolis,  Philippi,  Amphipolis, 
Apollonia,  Thessalonica,  Beraea,  Athens,  Corinth. 

51  Paul  remains  a  year  and  six  months  at  Corinth,  and  writes 
thence  his  epistles  to  the  Thessalonians,  and  perhaps  to 
the  Galatians. 

53  Sails  into  Syria,  and  proceeds  to  Ephesus,  (whence  he 
wrote  his  first  epistle  to  the  Corinthians,)  Csesarea,  Jeru- 
salem, Antioch,  Galatia,  Phrygia,  Ephesus. 

56  Leaves  Ephesus  and  visits  Macedonia,  Crete,  Illyricum, 
Nicopolis,  Macedonia,  (whence  he  wrote  the  second 
epistle  to  the  Corinthians,)  Greece,  Corinth.  In  the 
course  of  the  year  fifty-six,  he  wrote  his  first  epistle  to 
Timothy  and  that  to  Titus. 

58  Leaves  Corinth,  (whence  he  wrote  his  epistle  to  the  Ro- 
I         mans)  and  comes  to  Philippi,  Troas,  Assos,  Mityiene, 


CHRONOLOGY    OF    THE    ACTS.  293 

Chios,  Samos,  Trogyllium,  Miletus,  Cos,  Rhodes, 
Patara,  Tyre,  Ptolemais,  Caesarea,  Jerusalem.  Here 
he  is  taken  into  custody,  and  carried  to  Caesarea,  where 
he  remains  two  years. 

60  He  is  sent  to  Rome ;  but  on  his  way  is  wrecked  on  the 
island  of  Malta. 

61  Reaches  Rome,  and  after  two  years'  confinement,  (during 
which  he  wrote  his  epistles  to  the  Ephesians,  second 
to  Timothy,  Philippians,  Colossians  and  Philemon,) 
is  released. 


N.  B.     The  chronology  and  arrangement  of  Dr.  Lardner  have 
been  followed. 


^ 


AN 


INDEX 


OF    THE 


PRINCIPAL  SUBJECTS  TREATED  OF 


IN    THIS 


EXPOSITION. 


Vol.  Page. 

Adjuration,  Jewish  form  of 

i.  391 

Adultery,  a  just  ground  of  divorce  .. 

• 

i.     71 

metaphorical 

...  i 

.185,230 

punishment  of 

. 

ii.  253 

Advocate,  his  office 

ii.  337 

Age  the,  vv'hat 

i.  336 

Angels,  meaning  of  the  term 

ii.     96 

Jewish  notions  of 

iii. 

134,  135 

to  come  icith 

i.  242 

whether  they  interfere  with  this  world 

ii.     8^ 

to  he  like 

. 

iii.     73 

ascending  and  descending  .. 

ii.  167 

Antonia,  castle  of 

iii.  225 

Apostles 

i.  140 

degree  of  their  inspiration 

i.  147 

whether  infallible 

».. 

iii.  235 

Asses,  commonly  used  for  riding  in 

the  East 

i.  290 

Assassination,  common  in  Judaea 

iii, 

.  238,  353 

296 


INDEX    OK    SUBJECTS. 

B. 


Baptism,  design  of 

proselyte 

infant 

metaphorical     ... 
Barbarian 
Beds,  eastern 
Beelzebub,  who 
Jiirth,  nciD 
Bishops,  what 
Blaspheme 

Books,  ancient,  not  dated 
Bottles,  Jewish 
Bride-chamber,  children  of 


Vol.  Page. 

...       iii.  230 

ii.  177 

i.  432 

i,  285 

...       iii.  381 

206.  iii.  109 

i.  135 

ii.  177 

...       iii.  215 

i.  122 

iii.  4 

i.  129 

i.  185 


C. 


Caligula                 ...             ...             i.  338 

Canaanites,  in  our  Lord's  time          ...  ...  i.  224 

Centurion         ...             ...             ...  ...  i.   110 

Child  of  any  thing                  .  .  ...  i.  327 

Christ                  ...             ...             ...  ...  ii.  163 

Christ,  Jesus,  his  character  not  fictitious  ...  ii.  419 

the  servant  of  God        ...  ...  iii.     5S 

coming  to  him           ...  ...  ii.  226 

coming  of        ...             ...  i.  148,  337 

name  of                    ...  ...  \.  262 

confessing  him               ...  ...  i.   153 

his  exaltation         ...  ...  iii.     63 

his  glory          ...             ii.  184 

his  dominion          ...  ...  i.  432 

adopted  popular  language  ...  i.   178 

might  fall  into  popular  errors  i.  250 

what  honours  due  to  him  ...  ii.  210 

Christians,  how  named  by  Heathens  ...  i.   149 

why  called  saints           ...  ...  iii.   109 

Church,  the             ...             ...               ...  ...  i.  261 

Cock-crowing,  explanation  of  the  phrase  ...  i.  396 

Cohort,  its  numbers           ...             ...  ...  i.  407 

Cross,  metaphorical               ...             ...  ...  i.   154 


INDEX    OF    SUBJECTS.  297 

Vol.  Page. 

Crucifixion,  not  a  Jewish  punishment            ...  ii.  383 

Roman  mode  of           ...             ...  ii.  415 

Creation,  new             ...             ...                     ...  ii.  153 

Cup  of  any  one      ...             ...             ...           ...  i.  285 

D. 

Djemons,  prince  of  the          ...  j.  135 

why  called  evil           ...                    ...  j.  139 

why  called  unclean             ...           ...  1.  188 

Daemoniacs                 ...             ...                     ...  i.  52, 117 

Darkness,  outer                 ...              ...              ...  j.  308 

Day,  Jewish                ...             ...                     ...  j.  403 

Days,  last           ...             ...             ...             ...  iij.     22 

Death,  spiritual         ...             ...           ...         ...  j.   116 

Declarations,  general,  to  be  understood  with  )   •  cm    Aon 

limitations            ]  '•  ^^^'  "^^^ 

Dedication,  feast  of  the         ...             ii.  285 

Destroy  may  he  rendered  pzmish                    ...  i.  151 

Devil,  the,  temptations  ascribed  to  him         ...  i.     88 

does  not  tempt  men  to  sin              ...  ii.  325 

vulgar  notion  of,  irreconcileable  with  )  ..    j,^^ 

the  Divine  perfections  j  ""  " 

Disciples  of  Jewish  masters,  how  distinguished  ii.  329 

of  Christ,  what  belief  constitutes  one  iii.     16 

Divorce,  Jewish  and   Roman  law  concerning  i.     71 

law  of  Christ  concerning                ...  i.     73 

Dogs,  held  in  abhorrence  by  the  Jews           ...  i.     98 


Easter,  a  modern  festival  ...             ...       iii.  132 

Egypt,  seat  of  ancient  learning  iii.     78 

Embalming,  practice  of        ...  ...          ii.  296,  399 

Elders,  Jewish                ...  ...               ...         i.  239 

Christian                  ...  ...           ...       iii.  156 

Elect,  the         ...             ...  ...               i.  349,  ii.  106 

£ycr/as^mjO- may  be  rendered  of  long  duration         i.  368 

Exorcists             ...             ...  ...         ii.  34,  iii.  201 

VOL.    III.  2    o 


298  INDEX    OF    SUBJECTS. 

F. 

Vol.  Page. 
Faith  necessary  in  order  to  receive  a  mi- )    •  qr»    ••    -.^.^ 
raculous  cure  ...  ...  y     '      '     ' 

Fasts,  Jewish             ...             ...  ...  i.     89 

Feasts,  eastern                 ...             ...  i.  112.  ii.     72 

Feast  of  unleavened  bread               ...  ...  i.  375 

of  tabernacles,  the  great  day  of  ...  ii.  248 

Fig-trees             ...             ...            ...  ...  ii.     61 

Fire,  in  prophetic  language             ...  ...  i.     37 

symbolical                     ...  ...  i.  368 

Flowers,  how  used  in  the  east            ...  ...  i.     93 

Fringes,  worn  by  Jews              ...  ...  i.  322 

Fornication,  metaphorical               ...  ...  iii.  163 

G. 

Galilee,  dialect  of 

Garments,  riches  of  eastern  nations 

Gate,  how  used  by  Jewish  writers 

Gehenna 

Gentiles,  court  of  the 

Glorifying  God 

God,  to  behold  the  face  of 

to  hear  the  voice  of 

to  be  in  the  bosom  of 

a  Hebrew  superlative 
Grace,  saying 
Grace,  what 
Graves,  Jewish 

H. 

Hands,  imposition  of        ...             ...  i.  271,  iii.     70 

Harvest,  Jewish         ...             ...  ...        ii.  198 

Heart,  opinion  of  the  Jews  concerning  it  ...         i.  222 

Heaven,  written  in            ...             ...  ...        ii.     43 

lifted  tip  unto           ...             ...  ...         i.  167 

coming  doirnfrom             ...  i.  297,  ii.  221 

ascending  up  into                ...  ...        ii.   179 

not  local         ...             ...  ...       iii.     10 


... 

i. 

395 

... 

i. 

307 

i. 

102 

... 

i. 

66 

... 

i. 

292 

... 

i. 

62 

i.  257, 

ii. 

156 

... 

ii. 

215 

... 

ii. 

156 

... 

ii. 

100 

... 

i. 

213 

ii. 

155 

i.  420, 

ii. 

295 

INDEX    OF    SUBJECTS. 


299 


Hell,  meaning  of  the  word 

Herod  the  Great 

Holiness,  what 

Honour,  meaning  of  the  term 

Hosanna,  meaning  of 

Hospitality,  eastern 

Houses,  Jewish 

Hunger  and  thirst,  metaphorical 

Hymns,  sung  at  the  Passover 

I. 


Vol.  Page. 
...  iii.  27 
ii.  14 
ii.  407 
i.  220 
i.  291 
i.  305 
i.  106,  149,  342 
i.  57 
i.  378 


Interpolations,  in  the  New  Testament 

Instruction,  eastern  mode  of 

Isaiah,  fifty-third  chapter  of,  prophetic  of  the 

Messiah 
Jerusalem,  meaning  of  the  word 
Jews,  always  learnt  some  business 

their  vows 

their  burial-places 

their  learning  ...  

had  lost  their  independence  in  the  time  of)  ...  ^.^ 

Christ J  111.  243 

Jericho,  its  distance  from  Jerusalem             ...  ii.  112 

Judaea,  distinguished  from  Jerusalem            ...  ii.  184 

Judas  Gaulonites                ...             ...             ...  ii.     60 

Jubilee,  fell  in  the  year  of  Christ's  ministry  ii.  2G2 

Judgment,  meaning  of                 ...                 ...  i.  176 


i.  104,  282 
i.  255 


ii.  135 

ii.  117 

i.  205 

i.  220,  iii,  194 

ii.  25 

ii.  242 


K. 

Kingdo7n  of  God,  of  heaven 

keys  of  the 
Knowing,  meaning  of  the  phrase 

L. 

Lamb  of  God 

Language,  eastern,  figurative 

Law,  to  what  books  of  Scripture  applied 

Legion,  Roman 


33 

236 
106 


ii. 

160 

i. 

77 

ii.  287, 

350 

i. 

387 

300  INDEX    or    SUBJECTS- 

Vol.  Page. 

Leprosy  ...  ...  ...  ...         i.  109 

Life,  future,  how  represented  by  the  Jews  ii.  130 

Lord's-day,  observed  by  the  early  Christians         iii.  210 
Lunatics,  what  ...  ...  ...         i.  52;  249 

M. 

Madmen,  same  as  dzemoniacs  ...  ...         i.  118 

Madness,  melancholy,  how  described  by  the  )   •    ,«!     i-^-y 
Jews  ...  ...  J  ^'  ^^^'  ^^^ 

Magic,  art  of 

Mammon 

Man,  son  of 

not  confined  to  Christ 

coming  of 
Mark  not  a  mere  abridger 
Marriages,  Jewish 
Matthew,  considers  Jesus  as  a  man 
Meals,  Jewish  posture  at 
Measure,  of  oil  and  of  wheat 
Messiah,  Jewish  expectations  of 
Mills,  eastern 

Miracles,  of  Christ,  whether  emblematical 
Miraculous  powers,  by  whom  communicated 
Mourners,  hired 

N. 

Nakedness,  import  of  the  term  ii.  412 

Name  of  God  ...  ...  ...         i.     86 

Nazareth,  always  spoken  of  as  the  birth- )  •■   oe-n    •  ••    *-* 

place  of  Jesus  ...  j  *      ' 

Nobles,  Jewish,  not  hereditary         ...  ...        ii.  202 

O. 

Oaths,  what  forbidden  to  Christians 

Offence,  offend 

Oil,  used  on  the  person 

its  medicinal  qualities 
Only  begotten 
Oratories,  Jewish 


iii. 

90 

i.  90,  ii. 

92 

j. 

115 

i. 

173 

i. 

392 

i. 

435 

i. 

357 

i. 

435 

ii. 

325 

ii. 

91 

i. 

55 

i. 

367 

ii. 

271 

id    iii. 

91 

i. 

130 

i. 

75 

ii. 

353 

i.90,  ii. 

29 

ii. 

47 

ii. 

156 

iii. 

172 

INDEX    OF    SUBJECTS.  301 

P. 

Vol. 

Palestine,  soil  of              ...            ...              ...  i. 

language  of            ...            ...         ...  i. 

dress  of         ...             ...                 ...  i. 

Parable,  meaning  of  the  word  ...         i.  I91,ii. 

not  to  be  strictly  interpreted             ...  ii. 

Passover,  on  what  day  it  happened                 ...  i. 

Penny,  Jewish                   ...             ...             ...  i. 

Pentateuch,  Samaritan             ...  ii. 

Pentecost             ...              ...              ...             ...  ii. 

Persecution,  pretended  argument  for             ...  ii. 

Personifications,  scriptural                ...             ...  ii. 

Pharisees                      ...             ...             ...         i.  35, 

superstitions  of                  ...             ...  ii. 

opinion  respecting  phantoms           ...  i. 

respecting  a  resurrection   ...  i. 

Phylacteries                        ...             ...             ...  i. 

Prayer,  not  to  be  addressed  to  Christ             ...  iii. 

Jewish  posture  in                   ...             ...  i. 

Jewish  hours  of             ...                      ...  iii. 

Prsetorium            ...             ...             ...             ...  i. 

Predictions,  often  conditional           ...             ...  i. 

Priests,  High              ...             ...                     ...  ii. 

Principle,  evil,  doctrine  concerning                ...  ii. 

Prisoners,  Roman,  how  guarded          iii. 

Prophet,  meaning  of  the  word             i. 

taught  by  symbolical  actions           ...  i. 

Prophecies,  how  applied  by  the  sacred  writers  iii. 

Prostration,  a  mark  of  respect            i. 

not  a  Roman  custom         iii. 

i.  275,  ii.  35, 
201, 


Proverbs,  Jewish 

Providence,  extent  of 
Publicans,  what 


c; 


i.  79,  ii. 


Page. 
106 
414 

34 
281 

96 
370 
280 
192 
205 

77 
337 

64 

54 
215 
314 
322 

87 

88 

36 
407 
3S1 

15 
264 
388 

69 
296 

13 

284 

118 

198 
349 
366 

152 

81 


R. 


Ransom,  meaning  of  the  term 
Regeneration 


i.  286 
i.  276 


303 


INDEX    OF    SUBJECTS. 


Repentance,  nature  of 

Revelation,  words  and  phrases  denoting 

Robes  of  eastern  princes,  their  colour 

Jewish  nobles 
Roman  citizens,  their  privileges 
Rudders,  ancient,  their  number 


Vol.  Page. 

...       iii.     32 

ii.     15 

i.     93 

ii.   123 

iii.  178,  355 

...       iii.  379 


S. 


Sabbath-day's  journey 
Sadducees 


iii.  CI, 
i. 
i.  386,  ii. 
ii.  66,  iii. 
ii.  36, 
ii. 


Salt,  metaphorical 

Salutation,  eastern  form  of 

Salvation,  temporal 

Samaritans 

Sanctification 

Sandals  ...  ...  ...         !• 

Sanhedrim  ...  ...  ...         i. 

Satan,  meaning  of  the  term  ...         i,  178, 

Scribes  ...  ...  ...  .••         i. 

Schechinah  ...  ...  ...         ii.   147, 

Shoes,  to  carry  another's  ...  ...        ii. 

Sinners,  who  so  denominated  ...  i.   124,  ii. 

Sins,  remission  of  ...  ...         iii-  42, 

Son  of  God,  its  import  ...  ...         i.  42, 

does  not  imply  a  different  nature         i. 

does  not  necessarily  mean  Messiah     ii. 
Son  of  Man,  its  import  ...  ...         i. 

Soul,  meaning  of  the  word  iii. 

Spirit,  Holy,  not  a  being  ...  ...       iii. 

does  not  necessarily  imply  inspiration  iii. 
Standards,  Roman 
Stater,  its  value 

Sun  and  moon,  in  prophetic  language 
Swine,  not  allowed  to  be  kept  by  Jews 
Synagogues,  not  always  places  of  worship 

exclusion  from 


1. 

i. 
iii. 

i. 

i. 
ii. 


343 

35 
62 

61 

40 
177 
192 
288 

37 

66 
240 

64 
162 
159 

81 
122 
391 
301 
162 
115 

27 
199 

46 
342 
253 

24 
119 
146 
353 


INDEX    OF    SUBJECTS.  303 

T. 

Vol.  Page. 
Tabernacles,  feast  of  ...  ...  ...        ii.  039 

Tabor,  Mount,  where                 ...                   ...  i.  244 

Teachers,  Christian,  called  by  Jewish  names  i.  332 

Temple,  its  expenses,  how  paid          ...           j.  252,  292 

Temple,  captain  of  the             ...          iii,  45 

Tempting  God,  what         ...             ...             ...  jii.  58 

Tetrarch,  meaning  of  the  word           i.  208 

Theatres,  ancient,  their  uses          ...              ...  iii.  205 

Tiberias,  sea  of                ...                 ...        i.  115,  ii,  21 

To-day,  To-morroic,  not  to   be  taken  )       ••   ion    •      r^o 
literally  ...  ]      "•  1^^'  '•     ^^ 

Tombs,  eastern,  described  ...             ...  i.  117 

Jewish,  whitened  ...                   ...  i.  331 

Tower,  in  a  vineyard,  its  use  i.  300 

Traditions  of  the  Elders  ...                 ...  i.  218 

Transmigration  of  souls,  believed  by  )      •   oqq   ••    o'vn 
the  Pharisees  /      '*  '"^^'  "•  '^^^ 

Trance,  what  ...  ...  ...      iii.  145 

Translation  of  the  New  Testament,  a  new  one  >  ...   qoq 
much  wanted  ...  ]  "*•  '^'^'^ 

V. 

Variations  in  the  gospel  histories,  whether  they  )    .     .^a 

affect  their  general  credibility  )    *' 

Verily,  verily,  its  meaning  ...  i.  63,  ii.  129 

Version,  common  English,  fallacious  ...       ii.  266 

Visions,  nature  of  ...  ...  i.  43,  iii.  144 

W. 

Washing  the  hands,  symbolical  ...  i.  405 

another's  feet,  what  it  expresses     ...  ii.  321 

Watches  of  the  night,  Roman  ...           i.  214,  396 

Jewish  ...               ...  i.  214 

Wells,  eastern            ...             ...  ...  ii.  192 

Wilderness,  to  what  applied  ...           ...  i.     33 

Wind,  its  symbolical  meaning  ...          ...  iii.     18 


304  INDEX    OF    SUBJECTS. 

Vol.  Page. 

Windows,  ancient  ...  ...  ...       iii.  210 

Wine-presses,  eastern  ...  ...         i.  300 

Witnesses,Je\vish,  particulars  respecting  )   .    ,o/?  ••    c^m^ 
them  ...  ^         ^]  '■  186,  a.  275 

Wo  unto,  not  a  denunciation              i.  106 

Woi\^In'p,  sometimes  means  homage              ...  i.  426 

World,  extent  of  the  term             ...                 ...  iii.  130 

Writers,  sacred,  use  popular  language           ...  iii.  10 


INDEX 


OP   THE 


PRINCIPAL    SUBJECTS    OF    THE 
REFLECTIONS. 


A. 

Adultery,  its  criminality  ii.  255. 

Affection,  parental  i.  223  ;  filial  ii.  395,  396. 

Affections,  the,  importance  of  i.  330. 

Almsgiving,  merit  of  ii.  56  ;    capacity  for,   not  confined  to 

the  rich  iii.  40. 
Ancestors,  virtuous,  how  far  valuable  ii.  263. 
Anger,  duty  of  restraining  i.  70. 
Apostles,  their  mean  condition  i.  54. 
Appearances,  fallacious  ii.  246. 

B. 

Baptism,  not  necessary  to  salvation  ii.  181. 

Beneficence,  the  smallest  act  of,  laudable  ii.  121  ;  may  be 
practised  in  some  measure  by  all  ii.  327. 

Benevolence,  criterion  of  true  Christianity  ii  330;  Christian, 
should  be  universal  i.  81,  ii.  48  ;  peculiarly  a  Christian 
duty  i.  85  ;  requires  men  to  descend  to  the  lowest  offi- 
ces ii.  324  ;  criterion  of  i.  85. 

Bigotry,  religious,  its  pernicious  tendency  iii.  241. 

C. 

Calamities,  public,  how  they  should   be  regarded  i.  340  ;  pri- 
vate, whether  evidences  of  guilt  ii.  62,  272  ;  iii.  272. 
VOL.  Hi.  2  r 


305  INDEX    OF    SUBJECTS. 

Calumny,  its  criminality  i.  183  ;  the  best  characters  not  se- 
cure from  it  ii.  241. 

Censures,  on  bodies  of  men,  unjust  ii.  115. 

Ceremonies,  of  little  intrinsic  value  i.  127  ;  superstitious,  our 
duty  with  respect  to  ii.  55. 

Christ,  his  resolute  performance  of  his  duty  i.  53  ;  excellence 
of  his  character  i.  294  ;  his  self-denial  i.  121  ;  his  benev- 
olence i.  121  ;  his  compassion  i.  126;  his  modesty  and 
humility  i.  132,  ii.  298  ;  his  discretion,  composure,  and 
meekness  i.  394  ;  his  humanity  ii,  120  ;  his  indifference 
to  popular  opinion  ii.  237  ;  his  disinterestedness  ii.  245  ; 
set  little  value  on  the  mere  profession  of  his  religion  i. 
108;  warned  his  disciples  of  their  trials  i.  150  ;  his  au- 
thority and  his  word,  the  authority  and  word  of  God  i. 
248,  ii.  24  ;  his  freedom  from  envy  ii.  38  ;  what  we  are 
most  concerned  to  know  respecting  him  ii.  181  ;  what 
honours  he  claims  ii.  212  ;  had  the  feelings  of  a  man  ii. 
296  ;  his  cross,  duty  of  not  being  ashamed  of  ii.  313  ; 
obedience  to  him  our  duty,  and  the  best  mode  of  showing 
our  attachment  ii.  342  ;  a  human  being  iii.  26. 

Christianity,  demands  sacrifices  i.  53  ;  will  amply  repay  them 
ii.  309  ,  danger  of  rejecting,  and  difficulty  of  properly 
professing  it  ii.  CO;  its  universality  ii.  196;  professed  by 
many  from  interested  motives  ii.  227  ;  advantages  of  em- 
bracing it  ii.  249  ;  its  value  in  sickness  and  at  the  hour 
of  death  ii.  250  :  the  certainty  of  its  final  triumph  iii.  44 ; 
advantage  of  separating  it  from  extraneous  doctrines  iii. 
173  ;  in  what  it  really  consists  iii.  188  ;  has  suffered 
from  pretended  friends  i.  389  ;  reasonableness  and  ex- 
cellency of  i.  170. 

Christians,  calumniated  i.  60  ;  their  duty  to  reform  and  en- 
lighten mankind  i.  64,  65;  are  all  brethren  i.  190  ;  must 
expect  the  hatred  of  the  world  ii.  351  ;  have  all  one 
Master  i.  355. 

Charity,  should  be  disinterested  i.  144  ;  useful  methods  of  ex- 
ercising it  pointed  out  iii.  112. 

Clamours,  popular,  folly  and  danger  of  yielding  to  ii.  392. 

Commandments,  human,  what  regard  due  to  them  i.  223. 


INDEX    OF    SUBJECTS.  307 

Concerns,  worldly,  should  not  take  place  of  religious  con- 
cerns ii.  78, 

Confidence,  self,  dangerous  i.  398. 

Conscience,  power  of  i.  211,  ii.  254  ;  good,  the  happiness  of 
possessing  iii.  237  ;  evil,  dangers  of  iii.  245. 

Converts,  young,  should  not  be  laden  with  duties  i.  131. 

Consolation  in  trouble,  whence  to  be  sought  ii.  304. 

D. 

Danger,  lawfulness  of  shunning  ii.  240. 

Death,  hour  of,  what  should  then  engage  our  prayers  ii.  360. 

Devotion  and  benevolence,  their  union,  and  means  of  cul- 
tivating them  i.  319 ;  each  imperfect  without  the  oth- 
er iii.  117. 

Diligence,  incitements  to  ii.  273. 

Discipline,  church,  too  much  neglected  i.  328. 

divine,  intended  for  our  benefit  ii.  348. 

Disputes,  religious,  their  tendency  iii.  161. 

Distress,  whence  we  should  look  for  relief  under  it  i.384. 

Doctrine,  Christian,  shall  hereafter  be  purified  i.  223  ;  refor- 
mation of,  a  great  and  arduous  task  ii.  44. 

Duties  of  men,  partly  universal,  partly  individual  ii.  104. 

E. 

Economy,  recommended  ii.  222 

Enemies,  national,  our  duty  towards  them  ii.  48. 

Enquiry,  duty  of,  where  doubts  exist  i.  163. 

Envy,  odious  i.  283  ;  its  pernicious  effects  ii.  204. 

Error,  acknowledgment  of,  the  duty  of  a  Christian  i.  70. 

F. 

Faith,  merely  speculative,  unavailing  i.  108  ;  merit  of  faith 
iii.  77. 

Folly,  youthful,  consequences  of  ii.^89. 

Forgiveness  of  sins,  value  of  the  assurance  of  ii.  24. 

Fortitude  in  the  profession  of  the  truth,  duty  of  iii.  51. 

Friends,  pious,  consolations  under  the  loss  of  ii.  342  ;  joy  of 
meeting  them  at  the  resurrection  iii.  112  ;  in  what  man- 
ner they  should  take  leave  one  of  another  iii.  223. 


308  INDEX    OF    SUBJECTS. 

Future  life,  Christianity  the   only   sure  ground  for  expecting 

ii.  217. 
Futurity,  curiosity  respecting  it  should  be  restrained  iii.  11  ; 

is  in  the  hands  of  Providence  iii.  1?)7. 

G. 

God,  a  regard  to  him  the  only  solid  foundation  of  virtue  i.  85  i 
his  compassion  i.  258  ;  his  goodness  towards  the  penitent 
ii.  84  ;  his  impartiality  iii.  124  ;  our  father  i.  101,  ii. 
363  ;  the  source  of  all  knowledge  i.  325  ;  claims  our  first 
obedience  ii.  70 ;  his  glory  to  be  advanced  at  any  price 
ii.  312  ;  the  source  of  all  our  virtue  ii.  347  ;  his  good- 
ness the  result  of  a  settled  plan  ii.  374  ;  the  creator  of  all 
things  iii.  157. 

Gospel,  the  light  of  i.  54  ;  its  universality  a  subject  of  rejoic- 
ing i.  143 ;  productive  of  greatly  preponderant  benefit  i. 
157  ;  its  great  value  i.  20G  ;  derived  from  God  ii.  185  ; 
offered  to  all  ii.  22S;  character  of  its  early  professors  an 
argument  of  its  truth  iii.  55;  its  consolations  in  affliction 
iii.  275  J  designed  to  promote  pure  morality  iii.  244. 

Habits,  bad,  care  required  when  they  are  once  broken  off 
i.  190. 

Happiness,  true,  its  nature  i.  60,  estimate  of  ii.53  ;  happi- 
ness of  mankind  the  design  of  Christianity  i.  60. 

Health,  value  of  ii.  207. 

Hearers,  Christian,  their  duty  i.  196. 

Heaven,  its  happiness  and  glory  i.  247  ;  suited  to  the  recep- 
tion of  persons  of  different  degrees  of  virtue  ii.  336. 

Honour,  personal,  should  not  be  sought  after  ii.  269. 

Hospitality,  who  are  the  proper  subjects  of  it  ii,  75. 

Humility  i.  258  :  has  been  much  neglected  in  the  church  of 
Christ  i.  325  ;  the  road  to  advancement  in  the  kingdom 
of  heaven  i.  288  :  the  surest  way  to  honour  ii.  74. 

Hypocrisy,  odious  i-  329. 

I. 

Idolatry,  its  pernicious  tendency  iii.  166;  not  wholly  renounc- 
ed by  Christians,  ibid. 


INDEX   OF    SUBJECTS.  309 

Ignorance,  consciousness  of,  a  preparation  for  the  knowledge 
of  the  truth  ii.  279  ;  vohintary,  criminal  ii.  352  ;  self-ig- 
norance common  ii.  109. 

Ignorant  the,  duty  of  Christians  towards  i.  137. 

Impenitence  dangerous  i.  170  ;  inexcusable  i.  187. 

Impartiality  in  judging  of  others  enforced  iii.  249. 

Improvement,  expected  from  all  in  proportion  to  their  advan- 
tages i.  363. 

Indignation,  what  kind  of  justifiable  ii.  175. 

Infidelity,  grand  cause  of  ii.  185  ;  our  consolation  under  its 
prevalence  ii.  233. 

Injuries,  forgiveness  of,  inculcated  i.  80,  88. 

Institutions,  positive,  duty  of  observing  them  i.  42. 

Instruction,  duty  of  attending  to  iii.  212. 

Intolerance,  abhorrent  from  Christianity  iii.  167. 

J. 

Jews,  their  history  instructive  i.  304  ;  conduct  to  be  observed 

towards  them  i.  346. 
Joseph,  his  history  instructive  iii.  77. 
Judges,  partiality  among,  condemned  iii.  237. 
Judgment,  future,  duty  of  keeping  it  in  view  ii.  212. 

K. 

Kingdom  of  heaven,  its  appearance  a  cause  of  gratitude  i.  39. 
Kingdom  of  Christ,  true  nature  of  ii.  386. 
Knowledge,  duty  of  communicating  ii.  167,  417. 


Labour,  manual,  not  dishonourable  i.  207. 

Law,  courts  of,  their  good  effects  iii.  227. 

Limbs,  the  perfect  use  of,  a  subject  for  thanksgiving  iii.  40. 

Lying,  vice  of  iii.  60. 

M. 

Magistrate,  civil,  submission  to   him  i.  313  ;  to  what  his  au- 
thority is  limited  iii.  194. 


310  INDEX    OP    SUBJECTS. 

Marriage  bond,  not  slightly  to  be  broken  i.  75. 

Marriage  state,  caution  to  be  observed  in  entering  it  i.  272  ; 
happiness  of  ii.  170  ;  mutual  compliances  required  in 
it  i.  75. 

Martyrs,  the  service  rendered  by  them  to  the  Christian  cause 
iii.  94. 

Malice,  its  mean  arts  i.  212. 

Masters,  duty  of  towards  their  servants  i.  114. 

Merit,  injured,  duty  of  vindicating  ii.  400  ;  human,  proper 
estimate  of  ii.  104. 

Mercy,  divine,  perfectly  free  ii.  32. 

Ministers  of  religion,  advice  to  i.  101,  196;  boldness  and  free- 
dom of  speech  become  them  i.  211,  313  ;  should  not  af- 
fect outward  splendour  i.  144 ,  simplicity  becomes  them 
i.  325  ;  prayer  recommended  to  them  iii.  72  ;  importance 
and  reward  of  their  labours  ii.  201  ;  their  duty  to  be  in- 
defatigable iii.  68  ;  should  not  entangle  themselves  with 
worldly  concerns  iii.  71  ;  entitled  to  a  maintenance  ii. 
44;  impropriety  of  their  visiting  condemned  criminals, 
and  assuring  them  of  pardon  ii.  131  ;  jealousy  among 
them  reprobated  ii.  189. 

Miracles,  an  infallible  testimony  i.  54  ;  proceed  solely  from 
the  power  of  God  i.  126,  180  ;  demand  our  assent  ii. 
175  ;  miracles  of  Christ,  the  proper  proofs  of  his  mission 
i.  164  ;  their  number  and  variety  i.  114,  228. 

Misrepresentations,  must  be  expected  by  the  friends  cf  truth 
iii.  187. 

Moderation,  recommended  to  Christians  iii.  166. 

Morality,  law  of,  unchangeable  i.  64;  Christian,  not  unneces- 
sarily rigid  i.  70. 

N. 

Nature,  human,  not  radically  depraved  i.  272. 

Navigation,  its  dangers,  no  impeachment  of  divine   wisdom 

iii.  267. 

O. 

Oaths  should  not  be  made  common  i.  76  ;  sanctity  of  i.  330. 

Observances,  superstitious,  conduct  to  be  observed  with  re- 
spect to  them  i.  174 ;  zeal  for  them  consistent  with  great 
vices  i.  179. 


INDEX    OF    SUBJECTS.  311 

Opinions,  religious,  importance  of  their  justness  i.  95  ;  duty 
of  hearing  them  stated  ii.  167  ;  opinions  of  others  no 
rule  for  our  own  ii.  252  ;  popular  opinion,  its  fickleness 
iii.  157.  ■ 

P. 

Parents,  their  injudicious  wishes  respecting  their  children 
i.  288. 

Persecution,  absurdity  of  i.  202 ;  our  duty  under  i.  389  ;  ab- 
horrent from  Christianity  ii.  39  ;  has  been  practised  by 
Christians  ii.  279  ;  not  acceptable  to  God  ii.  357  ;  un- 
necessary and  dangerous  iii.  68  ;  a  ground  of  exultation 
to  those  who  experience  it  iii,  68  ;  has  been  overruled  to 
good  iii.  94. 

Persecutors,  lessons  of  caution  addressed  to  iii.  104. 

Piety,  criterion  of  i.  85 ;  uniform,  a  duty  i.  217. 

Poor,  the  duty  of  enlightening  i.  164  ;  not  disregarded  by  God 
ii.  98. 

Popery,  its  claims  extravagant  and  unfounded  i.  238. 

Praise,  love  of,  dangerous  ii.  318. 

Prayer,  importance  and  duty  of  i.  88,  iii.  12  ;  not  inconsis- 
tent with  the  divine  foreknowledge  ii.  369. 

Precipitancy  in  judgment  condemned  ii.  252. 

Pride,  leads  to  the  commission  of  many  sins  ii.  93. 

Princes,  absurdly  flattered  iii.  137. 

Privileges,  danger  of  neglecting  ii.  62. 

Prophecies,  observations  upon  ii.  121. 

Providence,  universal  i.  156  ;  proper  interpretation  of  its 
measures  i.  217  ;  employs  bad  men  for  good  purposes 
i.  379 ;  its  works  call  for  our  admiration  ii.  23 ;  confidence 
in,  necessary  for  Christians  ii.  109  ;  inquiries  respecting, 
should  be  cljecked  ii.  419. 

Prudence,  Christian  i.  150;  false  kind  of  181. 

R. 

Rank,  exalted,  its  unfavourable  influence  ii.  180  ;  makes  no 
distinction  with  respect  to  the  blessings  of  Christianity 
iii.  25. 

Reformation,  the  proper  proof  of  repentance  ii.  IS. 


312  INDEX    OF    SUBJECTS. 

Religion,  mere  outward^'profession  of,  useless  i.  299  ;  its  su- 
periority to  every  other  profession  iii.  98  ;  true  religion 
not  endangered  by  opposition  iii.  207  ;  its  supports  in 
trying  circumstances  iii.  205. 

Reparation,  the  duty  of  those  who  have  committed  an  inju- 
ry ii.  114. 

Repentance,  necessity  of  i.  39  ;  death-bed,  danger  of  trust- 
ing to  i.  283,  ii.  131. 

Reproof,  a  duty  of  friendship  i.  253  ;  manner  and  design  of 
administering  it  i.  264. 

Resurrection,  general,  the  joy  that  will  attend  it  i.  138  ;  ad- 
vantages of  its  being  clearly  revealed  i.  316  ;  certainty 
of  it  ii.  296  ;  resurrection  of  Christ,  the  grand  proof  of 
his  divine  mission  i.  187 ;  the  story  of,  not  founded  on  de- 
lusion ii.  136. 

Resolution  ,  good,  wisdom  of  distrusting  ii.  331. 

Revelation,  its  advantages  over  mere  reason  ii.  233,  237,347. 

Revenge,  love  of,  unchristian  ii.  39. 

Reverence,  filial  i.  223. 

Rich,  what  is  expected  from  them  ii.  94. 

Riches,  unfavourable  to  the  performance  of  duty  i.  278  ;  not 

a  just  standard  of  usefulness  i.  254  ;  folly  of  amassing  ii. 

59  ;  value   and  danger  of  ii.  99;  an  indifference  to,  the 

natural  effect  of  the  gospel  iii.  35. 

Righteous  and  wicked,  a  grand  distinction  to  be  made  between 

them  i.  369. 
Rulers,  wickedness  of,  brings  evil  upon  the  people  i.  433. 

S. 

Sabbath,  Jewish,  not  binding  on  Christians  i.  174. 

Salvation,  means  of,  duty  of  inquiring  about  them  i.  277;  what 
is  necessary  to  it  i.  278. 

Scriptures,  the  duty  of  studying  i.  60  ;  explanations  of  them, 
necessary  for  the  poor  ii.  137  ;  useless,  except  they  are 
well  understood  iii.  99;  duty  of  reading  them  public- 
ly iii.  143. 

Selfishness,  its  pernicious  tendency  ii,  304. 

Self-denial,  a  duty  i.  259. 

Self-examination,  a  duty  i.  277. 


INDEX    OF    SUBJKCTS.  313 

Servants,  hypocritical,  their  calamity  i.  355. 

Shipwreck,  inhumanity  of  taking  advantage  of  it  iii.  272. 

Sight,  faculty  of,  its  value  i.  137. 

Sin,  the  smallest,  will  have  a  proportioned  punishment  i.  71. 

Sinners,  penitent,  should    be   treated   mildly  ii.  33  ;  hopes  of 

recovering  them,  not  to  be  abandoned  ii.  84. 
Slave-trade,  reprobated  ii.  49. 
Swearing,   common,   reprobated  i.  71  ;    danger   and  folly  of 

it  i.  212. 
Submission  to  the  divine  will  i.  384. 
Sufferings,  must  not  be  declined  in  the  cause  of  truth  i.  243  ; 

of  good  men,  a  warning  to  the  wicked  ii.  127. 
Superstition,  baneful  effects  of  ii.  65  ;  its  malignity  ii.  208. 

T. 

Temperance  recommended  i.  212. 

Temptations,  common  to  all  men  i.  48. 

Torture,  the  use  of,  reprobated  iii.  232. 

Trade,  temptations  of  i.  295. 

Treasures  in  heaven,  value  of  i.  95. 

Truth,  value  of  ii.  386  ;  gains  by  discussion  and  investigation 
iii.  50  ;  its  friends  generally  few  i.  203,  ii.  373  ;  duty  of 
openly  professing  i.  156  ;  obnoxious  truth,  whether  and 
how  to  be  communicated  ii.  357  ;  disclosure  of,  the  duty 
of  ministers  iii.  217  ;  to  listen  to,  the  duty  of  hearers  iii. 
218;  its  enemies  never  want  excuses  i.  169;  causes 
which  retard  its  spread  ii.  217  ;  its  reception  prevented 
by  worldly  passions  ii.  261  ;  wilful  rejection  or  violation 
of  it,  odious  ii.  269  ;  cannot  be  overthrown  by  human  ef- 
forts ii.  275  ;  benefitted  by  opposition  ii.  275. 

U.  &  V. 

Unbelievers,  how  they  should  be  treated  ii.  410. 
Unity  of  God,  should  be  zealously  contended  for  iii.  166. 
Virtue,    criterion  of,  i.   107  ;  not   always   accompanied  with 
prosperity  iii.  78. 

VOL.    III.  2    Q 


314  INDHX    OF    SUBJECTS. 

W. 

Wars,  injustice  and  folly  of  i.  196  ;  danger  of  i.  390. 

Watchfulness,  duty  of  i.  352,  358. 

Wicked,  the,  future  dreadful  sufferings  of  ii.  99. 

Wickedness,  national,  will  bring  down  ruin  i.  335. 

Wisdom,  worldly,  often  not  attended  with  spiritual  wisdom 
i.  232. 

Worship,  proper  object  of  i.  49,  89  ;  public,  duty  and  advan- 
tages of  iii.  174  ;  its  claims  iii.  242  ;  what  kind  of  wor- 
ship acceptable  ii.  195. 


Zeal,  religious,  often   hypocritical  iii.  179 ;  often  interested 
iii.  207  ;  intemperate,  mischievous  effects  of  iii.  227. 


I  N  D  E  X 

OP 

TEXTS     OF     SCRIPTURE 
INCIDENTALLY  QUOTED  OR  EXPLAINED 

IN    THIS 

EXPOSITION. 


GENESIS. 

Exodus  continued. 

Chap. 

verse. 

vol. 

page. 

Chap. 

verse. 

vol. 

page. 

xii 

3 

ii. 

216 

xxiv 

8 

377 

6,7 

ii. 

194 

9,10 

ii. 

156 

xxxiii 

18,20 

ii. 

194 

18 

44 

19 

ii. 

191 

xxix 

45 

ii. 

154 

iii. 

76 

xxxiv 

22 

iii. 

18 

xlvi 

27 

iii. 

76 

xlviii 

14 

i. 

271 

LEVITICUS. 

22 

ii. 

191 

V 

xviii 

1 
16 

391 
209 

EXODUS. 

xix 

17,18 

78 

ii 

14 

ii. 

66 

260 

iii 

6 

i. 

315 

9 

ii. 

45 

iv 

12 

i. 

146 

xxi 

10 

i. 

392 

vii 

1 

ii. 

150 

xxiii 

32 

423 

xii 

46 

ii. 

398 

xxiv 

16 

1. 

392 

xxi 

17 

i. 

219 

xxii 

1 

ii. 

112 

numbers: 

xxiii 

16 

iii. 

18 

xi 

16 

i. 

63 

lO 

INJ)EX    Ot 

TKXTS. 

Numbers 

cunii  lined. 

1st  SAMUEL. 

Chap, 

verse. 

vol. 

pao;e. 

Chap. 

verse. 

vol. 

pagp. 

XV 

37—40 

322 

xix 

24 

ii. 

412 

xvi 

28,  2«) 

ii. 

146 

XX 

31 

327 

xxi 

9 

ii. 

182 

41 

383 

xxvii 

16,17 

136 

XXV 

41 

ii. 

321 

xxix 

ii. 

248 

2d  SAMUEL. 

DEUTERONOMY. 

vi 

14,20 

ii. 

412 

vi 

5 

i. 

317 

vii 

5 

i. 

327 

8 

i. 

322 

12 

iii. 

43 

13 

i. 

327 

13 

ii. 

299 

16 

i. 

46 

14 

ii. 

166 

viii 

3 

i. 

44 

xii 

5 

ii. 

368 

xvi 

5—7 

i. 

370 

13 

i. 

123 

xvii 

7 

ii. 

254 

XV. 

23 

ii. 

374 

xviii 

lo 

i. 

275 

xxiii 

2 

i. 

303 

18 

ii. 

165 

3 

iii. 

230 

xxi 

6,7 

i. 

405 

, 

22,23 

i. 

419 

1st  KINGS. 

xxii 

20 

ii. 

253 

ix 

3 

ii. 

194 

xxiii 

18 

i. 

400 

11,  13 

i. 

50 

ii. 

217 

xvii 

21 

iii. 

211 

xxiii 

24,25 

i. 

296 

18 

ii. 

23 

xxiv 

1 

i. 

266 

xix 

8 

i. 

44 

XXV 

5 

i. 

314 

11 

iii. 

18 

2 

i. 

327 

xxii 

24 

iii. 

234 

xxvi 

12 

i. 

328 

xxvii: 

i         2 

i. 

365 

2d  KINGS. 

XXX 

12 

ii. 

179 

i 

2 

i. 

135 

XV 

61,62 

i. 

33 

8 
10 

i. 
ii. 

25 

36 

JOSHUA. 

iv 

1 

i. 

263 

xxiii 

32 

ii. 

191 

27 

i. 
ii. 

426 

29 

JUDGES. 

34 

iii. 

210 

T 

10 

i. 

219 

42 

ii. 

162 

xiv 

11 

i. 

128 

vi. 

12 

i. 

393 

INDEX    OF 

TEXTS. 

ol 

o 

d  Kings 

continued. 

Psa 

'hns  continued. 

Chap. 

verse. 

vol. 

page. 

Chap. 

verse. 

vol. 

pajre. 

vi 

20 

i. 

367 

xvi 

10 

ii. 

20 

vii 

4 

ii. 

102 

xix 

1 

i. 

242 

xii 

19 

ii. 

118 

xxii 

i. 

414 

xiii 

21 

i. 

420 

18 

ii. 

393 

xix 

21 

i. 

412 

XXV 

19 

ii. 

350 

xxiii 

6 

ii. 

374 

xxvi 
xxxvii 

6 
o 

i. 
i. 

405 
57 

1st  CHRONICLES. 

xxxix 

5 

i. 

93 

xxi 

1 

1, 

43 

xli 

10 

ii. 

325 

ii. 

265 

xlii 

7 

i. 

285 

iii. 

247 

xlv 

7 

ii. 

29 

xxix 

20 

426 

xlviii 

2 

i. 

74 

Ii 

7 

ii. 

278 

d  CHRONICLES. 

Iv 

17 

iii. 

115 

vi. 

2,  18 

ii. 

147 

Iviii 

4 

ii. 

278 

vii 

1 

ii. 

134 

Ixv 

2 

ii. 

147 

X 

5 

421 

Ixix 

2 

i. 

285 

xxiv 

20,  21 

i. 

332 

25 

iii. 

15 

Ixxviii  22,24 

ii. 

225 

EZRA. 

Ixxxii 

6 

ii. 

151 

X 

9 

i. 

343 

xci      11 

,12 

i. 

46 

ciii     20, 21 

i. 

87 

NEHEMIAH. 

cvi 

9 

i. 

117 

ix 

5 

i. 

83 

cix 
ex 

8 

1 

iii. 
i. 

15 

318 

JOB. 

4 

ii. 

312 

iii 

3 

i. 

376 

iii. 

30 

xxxi 

32 

i. 

365 

cxviii 

22 
25 

iii. 
i. 

47 
291 

cxxxii 

11 

iii. 

28 

PSALMS. 

cxliv 

3 

i. 

115 

i 

6 

106 
216 

ii 

2 

iii. 

52 

PROVERBS. 

7 

ii. 

166 

viii  22- 

-31 

ii. 

145 

xvi 

8—11 

iii. 

25,26 

xviii 

5 

i. 

183 

17 


318 


INDEX    OF    TEXTS. 


ISAIAH. 


Chap, 
ii 

V 

vi 
ix 
xi 

xiii 

xiv 
xix 
xxix 

XXX 

XXXV 

xl 
xli 

xlii 
xliii 
xlv 
xlix 

liii 


liv 
Iv 

Ivi 

Ixi 

Ixii 

Ixv 

Ixvi 


verse. 

2 
1 

9 

1,2 

1 

10,13 

13,  15 
1 

13 
6 
5 
3 

16 
3 
1 
4 
6 

4 
8—10 

11 

13 

3 

7 
1 

11 

13 

1 


vol. 
iii. 
i. 
iii. 
i. 
i. 
i. 

iii. 
i. 
i. 
i. 
i. 
i. 
i. 
i. 
i. 
ii. 
i. 
ii. 
iii. 
i. 
i. 
ii. 
iii. 
ii. 
iii. 
i. 
i. 
i. 
i. 
iii. 


page. 

22 
300 
275 
50 
318 
347 
15 
167 
348 
220 
347 
160 
34 
38 
176 
153 
344 
146 
149 
113 
387 
244 
86 
229 
145 
293 
75,  160 
290 
57 
84 


Chap. 

xvi.    38,40 

xxvi    ^ 

xxvii  / 
xxviii  ) 
xxxiv 
xxxvii 
.xliii 


EZEKIEL. 

verse.       vol. 


Ill 
V 

vi 
vii 


VI 
X 


17 
1 


1. 

i. 
iii. 


DANIEL. 
44         i. 

ii. 

i. 

i. 

i. 

i. 

i. 

ii. 

i. 

i. 
iii. 


25 
17 
17 
10 
14 

25 

27 
7 


HOSEA. 
6         i. 

8        ii. 

JOEL. 

28  i. 
iii. 
iii. 


253 

166 

364 
44 
18 


50 
312 
417 
141 
422 
387 

34 
312 
234 
342 
100 


125 
125 


37 

8 

22 


JEREMIAH, 

xvii           10       iii.  16 

XX             2        iii.  234 

xxxi         34        ii.  229 


Vll 


AMOS. 
25       iii. 

MICAH. 
6         i. 


83 


154 


INDEX    OF    TEXTS. 


319 


ZECHARIAH. 

Galatians 

continued. 

Chap. 

verse. 

vol. 

page. 

Chap. 

verse. 

vol. 

page. 

viii 

17 

i. 

123 

16 

iii. 

104 

ix 

9 

290 

106 

X 

3 

1. 

3G4 

ii 

3,4 

iii. 

169 

xi 

12,13 

410 

9 

i. 

244 

xiii 

7 

378 

15 

i. 

124 

iii 

17 

iii. 

75 

MALACHI. 

v 

3 

iii. 

158 

iv 

5 

i.     35 

,  162 

EPHESIANS. 

ROMANS. 

i 

4 

ii. 

366 

ii 

18 

ii. 

5 

17 

i. 

100 

ix 

6 

ii. 

166 

iii 

3 

iii. 

159 

X 

2 

iii. 

228 

V 

8 

ii. 

145 

XV 

8 

140 

11 

i. 

183 

1st  CORINTHIANS. 

PHILIPPIANS. 

i 

30 

ii. 

153 

iii 

2 

i. 

98 

iii 

6 

iii. 

197 

11 

ii. 

73 

vii 

11 

i. 

76 

xii 

28 

iii. 

122 

COLOSSIANS. 

xiv 

16 

i. 

59 

i 

12—14 

iii. 

258 

22 

i. 

206 

iv 

14 

3 

XV 

ii. 

136 

iv 

10 

iii. 

167 

6 

iii. 

13 

205 

15 

ii. 

308 

9 

i. 

431 

1st  THESSALONIANS. 

25 

iii. 

42 

i 

9 

iii. 

181 

iii 

11 

iii. 

236 

2d  CORINTHIANS. 

V 

17 

it. 

151 

2d  THESSALONIANS. 

viii 

3 

106 

iii 

14 

i. 

126 

xi 

32,33 

iii. 

106 

25 

iii. 

155 

1st  TI 

MOTHY 

GALATIANS. 

12       iii.  258 


V  6  i.  116 

vi  13  i.  402 

vi        18,  19         ii.  58 


320 


INDEX  OF  TEXTS. 


2d  TIMOTHY. 

2d  PETER. 

Clu 

ip.          verse. 

vol. 

page. 

Chap. 

verse.       vol. 

page. 

i 

4 

iii. 

168 

i 

17        ii. 

148 

i 

9 

ii. 

366 

ii 

20         i. 

189 

16,  18 

i. 

366 

iii 

4        ii. 

107 

HEBREWS. 

1st  JOHN. 

i 

3 

ii. 

316 

i 

1—4        ii. 

149 

7 

iii. 

141 

6        ii. 

184 

ix 

26 

i. 

337 

ii 

1        ii. 

337 

X 

36 

i. 

57 

iii 

1         i. 

58 

12,  13 

iii. 

42 

V 

10        ii. 

188 

xi 

33—37 

V 

11        ii. 

151 

JAMES. 

i 

5 

i. 

100 

3d  JOHN. 

iv 

13 

iii. 

65 

11        ii. 

156 

V 

12 

i. 

75 

12        ii. 

417 

1st  PETER. 

ii 

12 

i. 

62 

REVELATION, 

iv 

6 

i. 

147 

iii 

21          i. 

285 

16 

iii. 

130 

xvii 

3         i. 

44 

V 

12 

ii. 

156 

xviii 

2         i. 

188 

FINIS. 


DATE  DUE 


^^"■pil^ 

ffl^RV 

CAYLORO 

1 

rRINTCOIN  U.S  A. 

